St. Vincent’s Medical Center and Aquarion Water Company Launch 2nd Annual “House of Hope” Food Drive

St. Vincent’s Medical Center and Aquarion Water Company are launching  the 2nd  Annual “House of Hope” Food Drive, running from September 17 until November 16 to reduce hunger throughout the Greater Bridgeport area.

Visitors to St. Vincent’s Medical Center, employees of the hospital and Aquarion, and the public are being asked to drop off donations in the “House of Hope” – a special shed located at the hospital entrance for the duration of the drive.

Items collected will be delivered to area food banks, which last year received   more than four and a half tons of food from the drive. This year the goal is five tons. The organizers ask that only nutritious, non-perishable, non-expired  items be donated. They suggest canned fish, meat, soup, stews, fruits and vegetables as well as pasta, peanut butter, cold cereal and powdered milk.

“Last year’s drive helped  many families in the community at a time of great hardship,” said St. Vincent’s Health Services President/CEO Susan L. Davis, EdD, RN. “We are again excited to be partnering with Aquarion on this project, which is so in keeping with our mission of serving the sick and poor.”

“There is much enthusiasm abou t the House of Hope at both organizations,” said Charles Firlotte, President and CEO of Aquarion Water Company.  “It will help us to meet an important  need for residents  in the greater Bridgeport area.”

This year’s collection will benefit  The Spooner House in Shelton,  Bridgeport Rescue Mission,  The Thomas Merton Center and the St. Vincent’s Family Health Center all in Bridgeport.

People wishing to make a monetary donation to the House of Hope may do so at the hospital information desk. Gift cards to grocery stores will also be accepted.

For more information, please contact Rachel Giliotti at St. Vincent’s at 203-576-6370.   

About St. Vincent’s Medical Center:
St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport, Conn., is a 473-bed community teaching and referral hospital with a Level II trauma center and a 76-bed inpatient psychiatric facility in Westport. St. Vincent’s provides a full range of inpatient and outpatient services with regional centers of excellence in cardiology, surgery, cancer care, orthopedics, diagnostics, women’s and family services, behavioral health, senior health and an array of specialized services. www.stvincents.org

About Aquarion Water Company:
Aquarion Water Company is the public water supply company for more than 580,000 people in 39 cities and towns throughout Connecticut, as well as serving customers in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. It is the largest investor-owned water utility in New England and among the seven largest in the U.S. Based in Bridgeport, Conn., it has been in the public water supply business since 1857. Across its operations, Aquarion strives to act as a responsible steward of the environment and to assist the communities it serves in promoting sustainable practices as well.