https://www.facebook.com/103914378430285/

Fridgeport, Bridgeport, CT (2026)

03/20/2026

Thank you to Jocelyn for coordinating our third ServSafe cohort, we always appreciate the chance to work with you and build with our friends in Hartford.

ServSafe not only makes sure that we know we're serving each other in safe ways but also gives people certification needed to run kitchens, food businesses and keep money and opportunities in their communities.

Special thanks to for making it possible to grow the ecosystem 🙏🏾

03/03/2026

We’re thrilled to celebrate the completion of our second ServSafe cohort, with 12 new certifications awarded!

ServSafe provides valuable food safety credentials that open doors for participants in the food industry, and thanks to the support from , we’re able to offer these certifications at no cost. This program specifically supports Black, Brown, and Indigenous food business owners, helping to remove barriers and create pathways for success in the industry.

Thank you to all that continue to support!

02/02/2026

Today we wrapped our first ServSafe cohort. Grateful to everyone who showed up and put the work in. Huge thanks to Bjorn for leading a class that was engaging and genuinely enjoyable.

This cohort was offered at no cost to support and uplift BIPOC community members who are building food based businesses and programs. As a collaborative, we see education that builds skills and strengthens capacity as core to the work, and this was an important step forward.

Thank you to for helping make this possible. More opportunities coming soon.

01/03/2026

UPDATE: The response was fast and we hear the need. We filled up and more in under 3 hours, but we will be working to create more of these opportunities.

Join us Saturday, January 31st and Sunday, February 1st for a FREE ServSafe Certification Class. This two-day training is open to food service workers, caterers, food entrepreneurs, and anyone who handles food. The course covers core food safety practices and prepares participants to take the ServSafe exam.

Classes run Saturday from 9 AM to 1 PM and Sunday from 9 AM to 3 PM, with a two-hour testing window included.

This offering is intentionally centered on supporting BIPOC participants. Space is limited to 10 seats, so early registration is encouraged.

11/16/2025

Thank you to everyone that came out to it first CT Food Sovereignty Collective "Our food our future" conference. We had over 100 people made up of activists, students, farmers and food justice advocates out to talk about food, solutions and community building. Seed tables, amazing food, break dancing, feminist organizing and tons of other convo.

Thanks for everyone that came out, gave inspiration and hung out - can't wait for next year!

Thank you to City of Bridgeport, CT - Government and Small & Minority Business Enterprise for being such great partners in uplifting and creating space for such an important topic.

10/27/2025

First - thank you to United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut and Connecticut Department of Social Services for today's meeting and updates on where Connecticut stands with what's going on with SNAP.

Here's some quick info:

Snap benefits wont be renewed during shutdown but money from October will spill over into Nov.

Total Households Impacted
----

Loss of November SNAP due to federal shutdown ~223,000 households (100% of current SNAP cases)

Heat & Eat elimination (Nov 2025)
50,000 households

Expanded ABAWD work requirements
~42,000 individuals newly subject to time limits

Loss of geographic waivers
20,000 individuals

Parents losing exemption (children age 14–17)
17,000 households

Veterans losing exemption
~300 individuals

Homeless individuals losing exemption
~5,000 individuals

Non-citizens losing eligibility (refugees, asylees, special immigrants, trafficking victims, etc.)
Estimated 5,000–10,000 individuals

Total direct impact (unduplicated estimate): Over 110,000 Connecticut residents will lose or see a significant reduction in SNAP benefits starting November 2025, in addition to all 223,000 households losing funding during federal shutdown in November 2025.

Total Estimated SNAP Benefit Loss
----

Heat & Eat Removal
$62.5 million

ABAWD Work Requirement Expansion
$45–$60 million (projected loss as individuals time out after 3 months)

Non-Citizen Eligibility Restrictions
$10–$15 million

Total Ongoing Annual Loss (Excluding Shutdown) $117–$138 million per year

Federal Shutdown Impact for November 2025 Alone: ~$50–$60 million lost in a single month.

Economic Ripple (Multiplier Effect of 1.5x):

→ Total annual economic loss: $175–$207 million

→ Shutdown month economic loss: $75–$90 million in local economic activity

The ask:

Since 2022, $10 million dollars for food infrastructure (public act 22-118) has been held in bonding (vans and trucks to transfer food around safely, refrigerators, software to make rescues and sign ups more efficient ect) PLEASE reach out to your local reps and bonding commission to get the money out in direct grants to the first line responders. There's a ton of people doing a ton of great work built on favors, neighbors and old equipment. Let's help make their lives easier.

Sample letter and how to contact folks: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EEZ1vpf3B30Wwlh21Om_kZjF9FGD6QRI_htEaIhkNXo/edit?usp=sharing

10/09/2025

I want to invite you to Our Food Our Future on November 15th, 10-3pm!

Join the CT Food Sovereignty Collective in building collective power for regenerative, democratic, interdependent food systems in Bridgeport and throughout the state!

What to look forward to:

Workshops on Black, Brown, & Indigenous land loss in CT; the Planting Seeds food justice internship program; community organizing; and indigenous food of southern New England

A panel on what is food sovereignty, including examples from Bridgeport and across the state

A healing space w/ Bridgette Bryan

Coffee, tea and pastries from Sound Coffee and lunch from Khemis Cuisine!

Spanish interpretation and childcare provided

Registration open until Oct 30th,- https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScpVHmqE6w_YnILhR1odEQ8M0edepeop29LZTKR0iFYnbCAWg/viewform

05/03/2025

Thank you, Liz, Pete, and the incredible team at for inviting me to the opening of your new community fridge!

This 24/7 mutual aid hub—complete with food, books, community notices, and more—is one of the most inspiring models of community care I’ve ever seen.

In partnership with .fc ,Fairgate continues to lead the way in reimagining self-sufficiency, building community, and advancing mutual aid while tackling food insecurity head-on. Truly powerful work—I can’t wait to see it grow!

03/20/2025

Good morning, everyone!

Over the last few days, several of you have reached out with questions about how to contact your representatives, what exactly to say, and what the bill is all about. I’ve gathered all of your questions and compiled all the info into a helpful Linktree to make it easier for you to get involved and stay informed! https://linktr.ee/ReducingFoodBarriers

Where the bill stands:

As of today, the bill is currently in the Legislative Commissioners' Office where it's being reviewed for legal edits and, hopefully, to ensure it is strengthened. This is an important step before it moves forward, and we are working to ensure everything is in place for a smooth next phase.

I encourage everyone to take a look at the resources and use them to advocate for what matters to you. Your voices truly make a difference!

Short SB1418 Breakdown (check the linktree for more info)

Senate Bill No. 1418 – Reducing Barriers to Food Security

Free School Meals for All
Free breakfast & lunch for all students
Erases school meal debt & bans shaming
Grants to keep meal programs running

CT Food Security Fund
Funded by 1% of the prepared meals tax
Supports food hubs & emergency food programs

Food Security Hubs
Grants for nonprofits to expand food distribution
Priority for orgs with 5+ years serving food deserts

SNAP & Healthy Food Incentives
Raises minimum SNAP benefit to $95/month
Doubles SNAP for fresh produce (up to $50/month)

Food as Medicine
Medicaid waiver for medically tailored meals, produce prescriptions & nutrition education

Restaurant Meals Program
Allows elderly, disabled & homeless SNAP recipients to buy meals at restaurants

Supporting Local Farmers
15% of emergency food funds go to CT farms
Annual 3% increase in funding for food programs.

$10M to Department of Social Services for food programs.

03/18/2025

Lucky to be team up with our friends at Save the Sound, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protections, and PT Partners for a community conversation on the environmental needs of Bridgeport!

Everyone’s welcome to share ideas, voice concerns, and collaborate on ways to make our neighborhoods greener, cleaner, and more sustainable. Whether you're passionate about clean energy, love our parks, or just want to see positive change in our city, this is the space for you.

Join us in person at Housatonic or online via Zoom—let’s come together, spark real action, and make Bridgeport shine even brighter 🙏🏾

March 25 3pm online: https://ctdeep.zoom.us/meeting/register/q0hXGNUvSJSroCzIqc1c5g #/registration

March 27 6pm in person at Housatonic: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=-nyLEd2juUiwJjH_abtzizdoqf-fczhHtaj22tKPTFNUOVpMRU5RNldNRjFZMURIRDRENkRIWVI0Uy4u&route=shorturl

03/10/2025

Thank you for your continued support, patience and love!

Been doing a lot of grinding in the background.

Our bill, HB 6089: An Act Reducing Barriers to Food Security, has advanced to the Senate and is now in the hands of your representatives. This bill brings together years of solutions to address food insecurity—all in one piece of legislation.

Senate Bill No. 1418 includes:

✅ Universal Free School Meals – Guaranteed for all students, with clear statutory amendments.

✅ Food Security Fund – Establishes the Connecticut Food Security Fund, funded by 1% of the prepared meals tax.

✅ Food Hubs – Creates a grant program to help nonprofits establish or expand Food Security Hubs.

✅ SNAP Benefits – Increases the minimum SNAP benefit to $95 and launches a Healthy Food Incentive Program (matching $1 for $1 at farmers' markets).

✅ Food as Medicine – Requests a Medicaid waiver to support food-based health interventions, with reporting on its impact on chronic health conditions.

✅ Restaurant Meals Program – Develops a program allowing elderly, disabled, and homeless SNAP recipients to use benefits at restaurants.

✅ Local Food Purchasing – Requires 15% of emergency food program funding to go toward Connecticut farm products.

✅ Appropriations – $10 million for supplemental nutrition programs under the Department of Social Services.

If this matters to you, now is the time to call, email, or meet with your representative and ask them to support SB 1418!

To find your rep, you can Google "Find my legislator CT" and it should pop up (like last slide) put your address and you'll get email phone and names of everyone representing you in your district.

Search

Reason

Fridgeport

03/20/2026

03/03/2026

02/02/2026

01/03/2026

11/16/2025

10/27/2025

10/09/2025

05/03/2025

03/20/2025

03/18/2025

03/10/2025

Address

Website

Alerts

Contact The Organization

Shortcuts

Share

Category