West Hartford's Football Programs to Run 'Food Blitz'

Football players may have a reputation for being tough, but in West Hartford they are showing that they have a softer side as the entire football community is coming together for a "Food Blitz" during the month of October.

The West Hartford Youth Football League has been collecting food for the West Hartford Food Pantry for many years, but this year the town's other football groups decided to get involved.

Barbara Roberts, Volunteer Coordinator with the , said that the idea for the Food Blitz came about after she was initially approached by Leo Glynn, the parent of a football player. Hall had done a food drive for the pantry last year, and had already recruited the team to assist with this year's effort.

"This year the Hall captains thought it would be a good idea to plan earlier and to try to include the other football programs in town. They felt it was a way to break the barrier of competition  and come together as not only a football community but also as a West Hartford community and do something for West Hartford residents," Roberts said.

Although it would have been ideal to have the Food Blitz take place on the same date at high school home games, there was not a single date where all four high schools in West Hartford had a home game.

head coach Rob Cersosimo signed on to the idea immediately. "Without hesitation he thought it was a wonderful community-spirited idea for the football community to come together, and his program was on board to do whatever was needed to help West Hartford residents in need of food," Roberts said. Parents Amy and Steve Fisher are organizing the Food Blitz at Conard, which will take place during the home game vs. Southington this Friday at 3 p.m.. 

football player Michael Turro had previously organized collections for the food pantry at the team's pasta dinners. "Doing the food drive at the game was a natural extension of what he already started," he told Roberts. Head coach Jason Martinez wanted to bring a community connection to the program, and embraced this outreach to the West Hartford community. 

The West Hartford Youth Football League was happy to join the Food Blitz with the high school programs. Since many of the WHYFL's players move on to play at the high school level in West Hartford, organizers felt that combining their efforts to work together on this fundraiser would be a good way to keep that football connection throughout the players' years.

"We at the food pantry, myself, Linda Hanson and Suzanne Oslander were thrilled to to hear of this idea. Our needs are continual and we are seeing a steady increase for the need of food," said Roberts. 

In recent months, Roberts said that there has been an increase in the amount of food being distributed from the Human Services Office located in Town Hall. "In the months of July and August we gave out over 300 bags per month, and 70 new families have signed up," she said.

"This collaborated effort by the town's football programs will significantly help stock our shelves as the winter months approach. We are so grateful to the town's football programs as are the families and individuals that visit the West Hartford Food Pantry."

Non-perishable food donations can be brought to the following home games:

Friday, October 7: Conard vs. Southington, 3 p.m.

Saturday, October 22: Hall vs. Simsbury, 2 p.m.; Kingswood Oxford vs. Hopkins School, 3 p.m.; Northwest Catholic vs. Plainville, 10:30 a.m.

WHYFL collections will take place at Sterling Field:

Friday, October 7: 7-9 p.m., Chargers vs. Wildcats

Saturday October 8: 7-9 p.m., Raiders vs. Eagles

Sunday, October 9: 10:30 a.m.–5 p.m., during Flag, Mighty Mites, Pee Wee, and Midget games

At this time The West Hartford Food Pantry is in most need of: cereal, oatmeal, canned corn and other canned vegetables, canned fruit, rice, canned and dried beans, nuts, juice, mac & cheese, canned pasta like Spaghetti-O’s, cooking oil, sugar, flour, peanut butter, jelly, soup, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, pasta, pasta sauce, canned meats and fish (salmon, sardines, tuna, ham, chicken, Spam), chili, and crackers. The pantry has an overabundance of Ramen Noodles at this time. Please note that the Food Pantry cannot accept expired products.