To the Editor:

I am writing from Real Food Share, a nonprofit based here in Newtown. We run two vegetable gardens where we produce food entirely for donation to people who might not otherwise be able to afford fresh veggies. If you or anyone you know is in need of healthy food grown with organic methods, please come find us during one of the times outlined below:

*We have farm stands available at each of our garden locations from 7:30 to 10:30 am, every Saturday. Visit us at our Sticks and Stones Farm location (171 Huntingtown Road) or our garden at the Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary (3 Old Farm Road, past the dog park).

*We are at the Newtown Farmers Market at Fairfield Hills from 2 to 6 pm, every Tuesday. Stop by and grab food, or donate extra produce from your home garden. You can also purchase from another vendor at the market and bring the food to us.

*If none of these times work for you, or transportation is an issue, please do not hesitate to reach out to sean@realfoodshare.org and we can arrange something that works for you.

While we always appreciate donations from those who can afford to spare a few dollars, the emphasis of our organization is to give food away free of charge. We believe everyone should have access to nutritious and high-quality food.

Our veggies are available to everyone, whether you live in Newtown or not. We provide fresh food to pantries in Newtown, Danbury, Shelton, Stratford, and Bridgeport each week. Right now, we are harvesting potatoes, zucchini, tomatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, and more! We have already donated over 4,000 pounds of food this season.

We have volunteer hours at both of our gardens on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday mornings, and from 3 to 7 pm on Thursdays. Go to our website, realfoodshare.org/get-involved, to sign up for volunteer text messages that will let you know what to expect for the day. You can also donate to our cause at realfoodshare.org/donate. Thank you to those who make this initiative possible. Let’s continue to come together to support our local communities.

In health,

Julia Preszler

14 Overlook Drive, Newtown August 17, 2020