What started as one Sandy Hook mom’s quest to help find a way for her children to “get involved” has led to an outpouring of support, and more members of the community can help join the effort to aid Bridgeport’s homeless.

A few years ago, Jenn Larkin wanted her children —Ryan and Erin — to learn about giving back and the importance of not wasting food, as reported by The Newtown Bee. Then, in November of 2017, her original idea led to a group of Newtown families working together to share food with homeless people in Bridgeport. Since then, the efforts have continued.

This week, Ms Larkin said, “I never, ever, ever would have imagined that just by going down to help people with my kids” she would start such a project.

Every Sunday, homeless people tend to gather under a bridge over John Street in Bridgeport, and every week, people arrive to share what they can with them. Warm food is served, sandwiches are given out, and supplies — like blankets and clothing— are distributed. Ms Larkin said the unofficial effort to help the homeless has been happening in the same spot for, as far as she knows, 50 years. She did not start the effort, but a few years ago, she joined it. She was not alone.

Ms Larkin said her mother, Lawren Hubal, has been a source of enormous support. A Monroe resident, Ms Hubal works at Joann’s Fitness Studio in Newtown, which has also been a large source of support for the effort.

“[We] pretty much do everything together,” said Ms Larkin.

Women from Joann’s Fitness Studio have given cash, clothing, granola bars, and more to the effort.

When Ms Larkin was surprised earlier this month to receive written recognition from the City of Bridgeport and Helping Hands Outreach of Bridgeport for her efforts under the John Street Bridge, she was happy her mother was with her.

“I certainly didn’t expect it,” she said.

A few weeks prior, Helping Hands Outreach of Bridgeport asked her to attend a then-upcoming meeting of volunteers. Ms Larkin took the day off from her work at Pitney Bowes in Danbury, and she drove down with her mother. She had recently helped a father and son find a home, and she was told the Helping Hands Outreach volunteers wanted to hear the story.

“They did have the meeting… but during the meeting, the mayor showed up and asked, ‘Is Jenn here?’” she remembered.

Bridgeport Mayor Joseph Ganim then presented her with a certificate that reads, in part, “Jenn Larkin, for your dedication to serving the homeless under the John Street Bridge. Thank you! Your kindness is appreciated by all.”

While describing the event, Ms Larken was quick to say she could never afford to feed 50 to 60 people every Sunday morning on her own: “I could not have done it without the help of Newtown.”

Extraordinary Assistance

Ms Larkin said she knows she cannot save every person she meets under the bridge, but when she recently met a father in his mid-60s and his son, in his upper 40s, she was moved. The pair had been living without heat or electricity since August, after the son lost his job. They had not done their laundry in six months, had not eaten food in three days, and they were living near Saint Vincent’s Medical Hospital.

“They each only had the shoes on their feet,” she said.

Ms Larkin told them she would find some help.

Throughout her journey of offering help in Bridgeport, Ms Larkin had been posting updates to her Facebook account, where friends and family would learn about ways to offer support. It had proved to be a great source in the past, and Ms Larkin again posted a photo and an update to her Facebook account. Another person who manages a building in Bridgeport happened to see the post, and within five days —thanks to that Facebook friend, Ms Hubal, and Ms Larkin’s husband, Tim — they had found a place for the pair to stay. The father and son had fuller bellies, and jobs had been lined up for both, handyman work for the father and work at a local store for the son.

There are many “people who need a leg up,” and they arrive every week under the John Street Bridge. The father and son had been contributing members of society who had fallen on hard times, Ms Larkin noted, saying the same thing can happen to anyone.

Every week, the volunteers who show up at the John Street Bridge form an assembly line. Everything is orderly, and everyone is patient and grateful.

And Ms Larkin wants more people to help.

‘Come With Me’

“I want people to come with me,” said Ms Larkin. She added later, “If anyone wants to come, I will always take their help.”

She is looking for people willing to make a hot dish and help serve it.

“People very close to Newtown have nothing,” she added, and Newtown residents can help. Donations also help.

“I could not have done it without my basement,” Ms Larkin laughed. People drop off donations at her home, and she stores everything in her basement until the weekly distribution day. Gift cards have been helpful lately, specifically gift cards to Dunkin’ Donuts, which can be handed out to the homeless.

“In the last two years, I have brought over 40 families down to the bridge... by having them join me and my family by cooking and serving food on Sunday mornings,” Ms Larkin said in a recent e-mail. “Aside from the families that have come down with me, there have to be close to 100 [people] that have supported [the effort] with donations. We have had collection boxes for warm clothing, individually wrapped snacks, and toiletries at Middle Gate Elementary, Wesley Learning Center, and Joanne’s Fitness Studio.”

On March 9, Ms Larkin posted another update on her Facebook account. After posting about a woman who had a baby girl but had nothing for the child, she said, “Once again, my friends came through in the most amazing way ever. My car is so full, you can’t even see it all! Tomorrow, I’ll be going down to drop all of this off to her...” The post showed a large donation of clothes for the baby, blankets, diapers, and toys.

“I just want to continue to help people, and I need people to help me so I can help them,” Ms Larkin said.

For information about volunteering or to offer support, e-mail Ms Larkin at jenn.larkin@hotmail.com.