Last year, resident Jenn Larkin wanted her children to learn about giving back and the importance of not wasting food. Her original idea led this year to a group of Newtown families working together to share food with homeless people in Bridgeport, on November 18.Jenn.larkin@hotmail.comNow Ms Larkin said following the day's efforts that she wants to help share the message that there is a need. She plans on making more trips to help the people that gather under the John Street bridge, and she will collect donations from the community. People interested in donating can e-mail Ms Larkin at djblueize@gmail.com

Her children - Ryan and Erin - invited friends over to participate in the effort. Along with the Larkins, the Franse, Dorfman, Salce, Atherton, Dentice, Rosvally, and Puebla families all contributed to the effort this year.

Ms Larkin also said members of Joanne's Fitness Studio in Newtown were a big help with donations of clothing and food.

Last year, the Larkins made bagged lunches for a shelter, but this year she wanted something with more of a lesson involved. When looking for a way to teach her children about giving back to members of the community, Ms Larkin learned about the efforts of Wendy Maldonado and Kathy Summ-Brooks, whom she said organize an effort to support homeless people who tend to congregate under a bridge over John Street in Bridgeport. Their efforts, Ms Larkin said, have "been going on for decades. We're grateful for the kids generosity for collecting as well as distributing clothing, toiletries, bagged lunches, and hot food. "

While groups do help support the population of homeless people, Ms Larkin said there is no specific organization that regularly supports them. Ms Maldonado, she added, works to organize volunteers.

After the collected items were all together at the Larkin house and the participating families had arrived, Ms Larkin said the children formed an assembly line on their own. In less than ten minutes the children had filled bags with fruit, sandwiches, utensils, candies, cookies, and pretzels. They made 75 bagged lunches and 75 bags filled with snacks. Hot food was also made to serve for the day.

According to Ms Larkin, her family and the Atherton and Dentice families brought everything to Bridgeport to distribute for those in need. Everything was set up quickly, with the adults serving hot cider and warm food and the children handing out the prepared bags from the back of cars.

"It is definitely eye-opening," said Ms Larkin.

As the families worked to set everything up, Ms Larkin said people began to line up in an orderly manner for food. She estimates that they served roughly 70 people, and other groups were also there on Sunday helping more people.

"You pull your car up and about 50 people line up before you get out," Ms Larkin described.

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.People interested in arranging their own trips to help can e-mail Ms Maldonado at

Food is always a need, and Ms Larkin said other items are also needed, like gently used sweatshirts, sweatpants, long sleeved shirts, boots, socks, hats, gloves, scarves, and coats. New items like hand and boot warmers, hats, gloves, scarves, small gift cards, sanitary items for females, donations to make soup, paper goods to serve food, shampoo, and Chapstick are also needed.