United Way of Western Connecticut shares your deep concern for the health and well-being of our community, particularly the impact of COVID-19 on our most vulnerable residents, and provides you with important information below on available food assistance resources and opportunities for individuals and organizations to support community needs.
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Food Access Resources for New Milford | Social Services Resources for New Milford | New Milford School Learning & Family Resources | New Milford Department of Health Resources | Additional COVID-19 Resources | New Milford Parks & Recreation Information | New Milford Youth Agency | New Milford Grocery Stores | Support Your Neighbors: Community Support is Crucial | Contact
Food Access Resources for New Milford
New Milford Public Schools Emergency Closure Meals
FREE BREAKFAST AND LUNCH! Starting Monday, March 23, our district will be providing FREE Breakfast and Lunch for ANY student (18 and under) in need every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 11:00 am –1:00 pm. These Grab and Go meals will be distributed at Sarah Noble Intermediate School without the need to leave your vehicle. FOLLOW THIS LINK FOR FAQs AND TO PRE-ORDER: Grab and Go Information (Google Doc)
Camella’s Cupboard Weekend Meal Pick-Up
While New Milford Schools are closed, Camella's Cupboard will be distributing food for students. The first distribution will be Fridays from 5:30-7pm in the back of East St. School, 50 East Street. If you have a need from being out of work, having the kids home, whatever it is, you are welcome. If you have questions, contact Angela via email or visit www.camellascupboard.com
Loaves & Fishes Soup Kitchen
40 Main Street, side entrance of Richmond Center, daily from 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm, walk-up, drive-up, pre-packed meal. For the extreme food insecure.
CT Food Bank Mobile Pantry - First Wednesday of Each Month
Faith Church, 600 Danbury Road, New Milford 5:15-6:30 pm. BRING SHOPPING BAGS. Check CT Food Bank schedule or call 203-469-5000 to confirm time and place.
New Milford Food Bank
Please note modified distribution changes until further notice: The New Milford Food Bank will be distributing pre-packed bags of food on Thursdays from 9 am-12 pm as of March 19 for registered food bank participants.
*The New Milford Food Bank is for food insecure residents of the Town of New Milford* Beginning March 19, distribution will be OUTSIDE. Registered participants will drive to the large parking area, on the Parks & Rec side of the John Pettibone Community Center and follow the instructions of CERT and Food Bank volunteers and NMSS staff. This is a drive-up format for pre-packaged bags of food.
- If you are a current food bank participant and are sick or your household is in quarantine, please do not come by. Please contact our office to make other arrangements.
- If are a senior food bank participant and can’t make it on Thursdays, please contact the New Milford Senior Center at 860-355-6075.
- If you are a disabled participant and unable to come in, please contact our office at 860-355-6079.
- If you are NEW to the Food Bank and experiencing food insecurity due to life-changing circumstances arising from this health-crisis, please contact us before coming to the food bank. You are welcome, but please understand staff needs to speak with you first--please phone at 860-355-6079 or email at socialservices@newmilford.org.
These temporary changes to our distribution are put in place in an earnest effort to meet the needs of our food-insecure residents while minimizing health risks to all participants, volunteers, and staff. We hope to resume our regular procedures as soon as it is safely possible. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
For schedule and locations of area Food Banks and Mobile Food Trucks: The Connecticut Food Bank Mobile Pantry Schedule will be continuously updated.
United Way's Healthy Savings Program
Learn more about Healthy Savings and listen to Southern Litchfield County Community Impact Coordinator Katy Francis discuss the value of this program to Greater New Milford and Southern Litchfield.
Social Services Resources for New Milford
New Milford Social Services
Due to the concerns of COVID-19 we will be limiting in-person office visits until further notice. Staff will be available by phone and email to discuss needs and resources. In-person appointments will follow Town policy and be set from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. New Milford residents can contact our office by phone or email. Our staff will continue to do our best to address your concerns and connect you to the most appropriate local, regional, and State resources. Thank you for your patience during this health crisis and trying time for our community. Click here for New Milford Social Service webpage.
New Milford Senior Center Information
Due to the growing concern of COVID-19, the decision has been made for the New Milford Senior Center to suspend all programs and activities starting Monday, March 16th until further notice with exception of assistance from our Senior Service Advisors, Meals on Wheels, and Transportation in a limited capacity.
For questions or more information, please call the New Milford Senior Center at 860-355-6075 as staff will be available for remote assistance.
Click here for New Milford Senior Center webpage.
New Milford School Learning & Family Resources
- New Milford Public Schools Student Learning Resources
- Special Education Resources
- Mental Health Resources for Families and Staff
- Connecticut Legal Services (CLS) has a NEW statewide hotline for CLIENTS to answer your education-related questions: (860) 786-6363 Flier (PDF)
- Los Servicios Legales de Connecticut (CLS) tiene una NUEVA línea directa a nivel estatal para poder responder a sus CLIENTES con preguntas relacionadas a la educación: (860) 786-6363 Folleto (PDF)
New Milford Department of Health Resources
New Milford Department of Health - website Phone (860) 355-6035 email
Hours: 9 am to Noon, Monday through Friday, by appointment only.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Facts:
- CT State COVID-19 Updates and Information
- Centers for Disease Control
- Food Research and Action Center Update: Recent federal legislation has been proposed related to school meals and food benefits programs, which seeks to protect food insecure residents who may have more limited food access if schools and select food retailers close.
New Milford Parks & Recreation Information
All Park & Rec programs are cancelled until further notice.
The building is open from 9:00 am – Noon and entrance is by appointment only, by phone 860-355-6050 or email
All Youth Agency childcare and programs are suspended until further notice.
Administrative offices are open for phone calls and emails from 8:30 am-5:00 pm Monday – Friday. Click here for Youth Agency contact information.
New Milford Grocery Stores
Please note that grocery stores may experience shortages of food and are working hard to continually restock supplies.
Stop & Shop New Milford 180 Danbury Road, New Milford
Open daily 7:30 am – 8:00 pm.
Open daily 6 am – 7:30 am for customers who are age 60 and older.
Store contact information
Big Y Kent Road, New Milford
Open daily from 8 am – 8 pm.
Open daily 7 am – 8 am for customers who are age 60 and older.
Store contact information
Wal-Mart 165 Danbury Road, New Milford,
Hours are subject to change.
Store contact information
Support Your Neighbors: Community Support is Crucial
Supporting Local Food Assistance
New Milford residents and organizations interested in supporting their community’s COVID-19 food assistance response are encouraged to:
- Contact Camella’s Cupboard if you wish to donate funds, food or volunteer
- Contact Loaves & Fishes here if you wish to donate food, funds or volunteer
Keep in touch with neighbors. Particularly those who are limiting public interaction or might already experience isolation, such as seniors and housebound individuals, to check on their food supplies and offer to pick up groceries or supplies, if needed. Take precaution to protect your and the recipient's health when delivering to someone’s home, plan to stand six feet away from the door.
Follow usual food safety guidelines when preparing food for others, including (courtesy of the Community Food Rescue Food Safety guidelines):
- If you are sick, or starting to feel unwell, do not prepare food for, or serve food to, others.
- If someone else in your household is sick, avoid taking food to people outside your home.
- Wear a waterproof bandage if you have a cut.
- Wash hands and exposed arms up to your elbows with warm water and soap before handling food.
- Wash hands again if you do any of the following:
- use the restroom,
- smoke,
- touch your hair, face, clothes or body,
- blow your nose, sneeze or cough,
- handle raw meat or eggs, touch your cellphone or other device,
- eat or drink, or
- use cleaning chemicals.
- Do not eat, drink, smoke, or chew gum near exposed food.
Support Local Businesses
When shopping for food and other supplies, buy from local businesses whenever possible as the negative economic impacts of this outbreak will severely affect our small businesses and their employees in the months to come. Local restaurants often sell gift cards online that can be purchased now and used to dine out or as a gift at a later date.
If you have questions or require further assistance, please call United Way's New Milford office at 860-354-8800 or email Community Impact Coordinator Katy Francis.
2-1-1 and 211ct.org are available 24 hours a day, with multilingual assistance and TDD/TTY access for those with a hearing impairment is also available.