Community Corner

A Girls' Night Out Stocks Monroe Food Pantry's Shelves

Food Pantry Dir. Wendy Jolls says households in need of assistance is at 205 and counting.

Women shopped for jewelry and clothing, listened to speakers for health advice, won raffle prizes and even did yoga and Zumba together during the Girls' Night Out at the Monroe Senior Center Thursday night. All proceeds benefited the Monroe Food Pantry.

The parking lot was jammed, with several cars parked on the grass, as over 100 guests showed for the first of what will be an annual event. And more than 35 vendors had tables.

"We'll definitely do it again next year," said Wendy Jolls, director of the Monroe Food Pantry. "We may need a bigger space to give a Girls' Night Out. We had great speakers, who were well received."

Presentations included "Hair Blowouts and Tinseling" by Angela Ballaro; "Amway Skin Analysis" by Chris Buzi; "Blood Pressure Checks" by Mary Lisi, R.N., and Ann Marie Laguardia, R.N.; and "Bring the Hoopla" by Nicole Heriot and Jackie Ribalaigua. There was also a Pampered Chef demonstration by Jennifer Kalotai.

Rhonda Rooney, chairwoman of the Monroe Food Pantry Committee for Awareness & Fundraising, said, "It's great to see a community come together and come out to support the food pantry like this. For our first event, it was very well attended and just heartwarming."

Shirley Pinette, Outreach manager for the Smilow Breast Center, signed women up for the Yale Mammogram Van's visit to the senior center on Nov. 14.

Good Food

"There were a ton of food donations," Rooney said.

Jennie's Pizza, Lake Zoar Drive-In, Purdy Hill Bakery, Mr. Mac's, Vazzy's, Country Pizza, Tavern, Panino's and A&S Deli were among the sponsors donating food and services.

"The raffle was a hit with over 40 donations of raffle prizes," Rooney said.

Other sponsors donating prizes and services were O'Keefe Controls, Wines Unlimited, Warehouse Wines, Barbara Susi, Kim Killoy and a number of women who baked for the evening.

Of the vendors, Jolls said, "It was great for small businesses to showcase their products — and they're all local. Very few are from outside the community."

More Families Are Skipping Meals


Jolls said the Monroe Food Pantry lost some donations it usually counted on at this time of year, so Thursday's event will help to close the gap and stock its shelves.

"We have 205 families and we had four new people sign up on Wednesday," Jolls said of residents in need of assistance. The cut in the food stamp program is going to push it even higher. It's getting worse, not better.

"I have some people that were getting by on unemployment, but their benefits ran out and now they're at the food pantry."


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