FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, December 20, 2024

SENATOR FLEXER WELCOMES $50,000 IN STATE BONDING FOR EMBATTLED & BELOVED WILLIMANTIC SOUP KITCHEN

WILLIMANTIC – State Senator Mae Flexer today welcomed State Bond Commission approval of a $50,000 state grant for the Covenant Soup Kitchen in Willimantic at its meeting this morning in the Legislative Office Building in Hartford.

Sen. Flexer advocated for the state bonding after the soup kitchen lost more than $10,000 worth of food when its walk-in refrigerator stopped working on the day after Thanksgiving. Since then, the kitchen – which serves more than 800,000 meals a year – lost another food cooler due to an electrical malfunction.

 “The Covenant Soup Kitchen has been making investments in the people and the needs of Willimantic for decades, and I am so glad that the State of Connecticut could turn around so quickly and show its support for this magnificent community organization,” Sen. Flexer said. “I know the list of needs at Covenant is great – including a new roof and some major electrical work. But with the outpouring of support that the people of Windham and surrounding communities have shown since Thanksgiving, and with my continued focus on the infrastructure needs of Covenant, I believe their future is bright.”

“We are so grateful to Senator Flexer and the State of Connecticut for this generous funding that will be used to make some of the needed repairs to our cold storage equipment at Covenant Soup Kitchen,” said Covenant Executive Director Kimberly Clark. “This critical support allows us to better serve our community by improving our ability to store and distribute fresh, nutritious meals to those in need. With this investment, we are not only enhancing our operational efficiency, but also ensuring that we can continue to provide sustenance and hope to our most vulnerable neighbors. Together, we are building a stronger, more compassionate community, and on behalf of the guests, volunteers and staff of Covenant Soup Kitchen, we thank you all.”