To Help The Hungry: Zullo's 2,000 Can Challenge Underway At JMMS

EAST HAVEN, CT — For the fifth year, East Haven attorney Joe Zullo has issued a challenge to the kids at Joseph Melillo Middle School.

“Do you accept the 2,000 Can Challenge," he asked.

Previously a 1,000-can challenge, in honor of the five-year milestone of the successful canned goods food drive to benefit the East Haven Food Pantry, Zullo upped the ante.

If JMMS students collect 2,000 canned goods by Dec. 23, Zullo said he'd donate $2,000 to the school’s parent-teacher committee.

“This year marks the fifth year of the challenge, which has helped stock our local food pantry’s shelves with thousands of items each holiday season and helped raise awareness of the issue of food insecurity in our community and across our state,” Zullo said.

“Food insecurity is a widespread problem in our town and across our country. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw even greater need as families struggled to keep food on the table with the economy shut down. Now, with rising inflation and supply chains strained, families are continuing to struggle to make ends meet," Zullo said. "Now, more than ever, our local pantry needs donations so that it can continue to meet the ever-growing needs of those in our community who find themselves in the precarious position of being food insecure.”

Since its inception, the initiative has brought the middle school’s students, teachers, and
parents together to organize collection drives and keep track of the canned goods collected. Monies donated in past years have helped the PTC fund supplemental educational programs for students.

Over the years, other town officials, including Town Council Chairman Joe Deko, have joined Zullo in rolling out the challenge. Deko is back on board this year, and has agreed to once again donate double his December Town Council stipend to the expanded initiative on top of Zullo’s two-thousand dollar pledge.

"In recent years, representatives of our local food pantry have appeared before our Town Council to keep us apprised of their activities and operations," Deko said. "Our pantry, which is run entirely by volunteers, serves over 100,000 meals each year, which speaks to both the incredible need and incredible generosity we have in our community that allows us to meet that need. I’m proud to be a part of this initiative, which I know raises awareness of the issue of food insecurity and connects our pantry with critical donations, particularly during the holiday season.”

"I'm so proud, once again, to be teaming up with Councilman Deko to roll out this challenge," Zullo said. "I know we’re raising the bar, but I know our students will rise to the occasion. I am also hopeful, especially as we enter the holiday season, that others will consider supporting our local food pantry. I encourage anyone interested in making a donation or getting involved to visit the pantry’s Facebook page."