Jessi Ruotolo

Real Food CT Awarded $150,000 to Bring More Connecticut Grown Food to Families in Need

/ Food Systems, Local Food, Press Releases, Uncategorized

Real Food CT has been awarded a $150,000 Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) grant from the Connecticut Department of Agriculture. The award will fund 14 months of direct purchasing of the best CT Grown product from our regional farms to be delivered to food pantries and community organizations across the Naugatuck Valley, western Connecticut, and […]

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Real Food CT Seeks Part-Time Farmers

/ Impact Organizations, Uncategorized

PART-TIME FARMER (2 POSITIONS AVAILABLE) Part-Time | Seasonal | 8–10 Hours per Week | May–October | Based in Fairfield County, CT ABOUT REAL FOOD CT Real Food CT is a nonprofit working to strengthen Connecticut’s local food system and expand access to fresh, nutritious food for communities in need. Through community farming, farm partnerships, gleaning,

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Book Your Farm Day: New Group Volunteering Opportunities for 2026

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At Real Food CT, our mission is simple and powerful: connect locally grown food with neighbors in need. Through partnerships with local farms, hands-on gleaning, and the care of our own two community farms, we grow, harvest, and share fresh, nutritious food with our food pantry partners across three counties. None of this would be

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Colorful assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables in a bustling outdoor market scene.

Keeping Healthy Food Flowing While SNAP Benefits Hang in the Balance

/ Food Systems, Impact Organizations, Local Food, Uncategorized

Real Food CT and Community Efforts While national headlines focus on the government shutdown and budget disputes, most people in Connecticut don’t realize the impact this could have on thousands of families who rely on SNAP to help put food on the table. The Connecticut Department of Social Services has warned that if the shutdown

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A customer exchanges an apple with a vendor at a vibrant farmers market.

Real Food CT Partners with Cub Scouts Pack 270 for Community Food Drive in Newtown

/ Events, Impact Organizations, Kids

At Real Food CT, we believe that everyone deserves access to fresh, healthy food, and that when a community comes together, we can make a real difference. That’s why we’re excited to announce our partnership with Cub Scouts Pack 270 for a special community food drive taking place on Sunday, November 2nd at Stop & Shop in Newtown, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00

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Real Food CT Hits 100,000 Pounds of Fresh Produce Donated — and We’re Just Getting Started!

/ Food Systems, Impact Organizations, Uncategorized

We’re thrilled to share an exciting milestone: Real Food CT has donated over 100,000 pounds of fresh, locally grown produce in 2025 so far! That’s the equivalent of more than 83,000 healthy meals provided to our community, according to Feeding America. With a year-end goal of 125,000 pounds, we’re on track for a record-breaking season — but we can’t get there

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An Evening at the Farm: A Celebration of Community & Food Access

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We’re still glowing from the joy and connection shared at An Evening at the Farm, our annual fundraiser for food access, held on a beautiful September evening. On September 13th, more than 100 of you joined us for a night of community, inspiration, and celebration—and thanks to your incredible generosity, we raised nearly $20,000! That funding will go directly

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Real Food CT’s Statewide Gleaning Expansion: Help Us Grow a Connected Network

/ Food Systems, Impact Organizations, Local Food, Uncategorized

As we enter our sixth season at Real Food CT, our gleaning and surplus produce program has reached a pivotal moment. With over 60,000 pounds of fresh, healthy food already donated this season to 21 food pantries across Connecticut, it’s clear that the need, and the opportunity, has never been greater. Food insecurity is increasing,

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Fresh Food, Shared Forward — Our Community Fridge is Open!

/ Food Systems, Growing Food at Home, Local Food, Nutrition, Uncategorized

At Sticks and Stones Farm, nestled in the heart of Newtown, our community isn’t just growing food — we’re growing generosity. Thanks to the beautiful craftsmanship of our teammate Dave and milled pine from right here on the farm, we’ve built a walk-in cooler that now serves as our Community Fridge, a vital link in our

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