After Bristol voters donated tons of nonperishable groceries and more than $6,000 for local food pantries last year, city leaders are hoping there might be a replay next month.
The city will run its Stock Our Shelters initiative on Election Day to build up inventories for the approaching winter.
This week, the city has begun seeking volunteers to help watch over the donation bins that will be stationed at polling places Nov. 5.
The volunteers also will shuttle full bins to the United Way office during the day, where they’ll be unloaded in a warehouse space and then set up again at the polls.
Two city workers — Sarah Larson of the parks department and Lindsey Rivers from the public works office — came up with idea last year of taking food and cash donations from voters on Election Day.
State law allows some regulated nonpartisan activity at polling places, and the secretary of the state’s office concluded that the Bristol project would be permissible. Local Girl Scout troops for years have been selling cookies in the lobbies of some polling spots.
The local United Way arranged to have food donation boxes at each polling place last November, along with smaller containers where voters could leave cash or checks. Local Girl Scout troops and PTOs volunteered to keep watch on the boxes.
The results were so good that Bristol is doing it again.
“There will be barrels donated by the Bristol Post Office for food donations and a secure container in which cash or check donations made payable to United Way may be placed,” Mayor Ellen Zoppo-Sassu said in a statement.
“Volunteers will monitor the barrels throughout the day and bring items to the United Way for eventual disbursement to the local organizations,” she said.
The city’s registrars emphasized that the collection isn’t related to voting.
“We want to be very clear that this is a voluntary activity and will not interfere with the voting activities or in any way disrupt that process,” GOP Registrar Sharon Krawiecki said. “It should also be noted that a donation is not required to gain entry to the voting area.”
Prospective volunteers are asked to contact Sarah Larson at SarahLarson@bristolct.gov.
The city noted that the Zion Lutheran and Salvation Army soup kitchens report the need for help is rising. The Brian’s Angels and Agape House drop-in centers also benefited from last year’s campaign.
“The amount of food items that were donated helped us to get through the winter,” said Christine Thebarge from Agape House, a morning warming center.
Also, some proceeds may be directed to the St. Vincent DePaul operation, which does not have enough money to run its Winter Overflow Shelter from Dec. 1 through March 1.
“We have 35,000 registered voters in Bristol,” Democratic Registrar Kevin McCauley said. “If we have an above 50% turnout and everyone donated $1, that would go a long way to funding the overnight shelter.”
The city noted that the holiday farmers market on Nov. 23 will also be a collection point for monetary donations and nonperishable food items. On Nov. 9 and 10, the Knights of Columbus will hold a “Yes We Can” 24-hour canned good collection drive at the St. Gregory CCD Center on Stafford Avenue.
Don Stacom can be reached at dstacom@courant.com.
