Newtown’s five fire companies will once again join together the weekend before Thanksgiving to collect donations for the town’s food pantry.

The 2025 Fill The Fire Truck for FAITH Food Pantry event — the 23rd annual presentation of the collection for the nondenominational pantry — is scheduled for Saturday, November 22, from 9 am until noon.

As is tradition, members of Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company (SHVFR), Newtown Hook & Ladder, and Hawleyville Volunteer Fire Company will be staged outside Big Y, 6 Queen Street.

Members of Botsford Fire Rescue and Dodgingtown Volunteer Fire Company will again be accepting donations at Sand Hill Plaza, 228 South Main Street, as in past years.

SHVFR EMS Captain Karin Halstead has coordinated the Fill The Fire Truck effort since its inception.

As donations are received from shoppers, firefighters organize them into large cardboard boxes by type — pasta, canned goods, cleaning supplies, etc. When all donations are delivered to the food pantry that afternoon, the items are already presorted for pantry volunteers.

Halstead said the requested items for the pre-Thanksgiving event traditionally include coffee, cereal, laundry detergent, pasta, sauce, chili, soup, personal hygiene items (shampoo, conditioner, body wash, razors, lotions, toilet paper, paper towels), and all the fixings for a holiday meal.

“Hams, whole chickens, and turkey breasts are good too,” she said. “Cash and gift cards are also very helpful. The pantry volunteers can purchase items that are needed.”

Fill The Fire Truck is a rain or shine event. All items received that morning will be delivered to the food pantry on Church Hill Road that afternoon.