Little Man On A Mission: Connor Vece, 8, Holds Pet, People Food Drive

EAST HAVEN, CT — Driven to do good, 8-year-old Connor Vece is at it again.

The Momauguin Elementary School third-grader, celebrated for pet food and pet supplies drives to help four-legged friends at the East Haven Animal Shelter on national TV last year, has another drive set. Saturday, April 9, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., folks can drop off pet food and supplies at 84 Dodge Ave., in East Haven.

Connor was inspired to begin collecting pet food after hearing a lot about food pantry drives during the pandemic, his grandmother Mary Corriea Bucko told Patch at the time. His worry was that dogs and cats did not have enough to eat. And soon he was on a mission.

Since early 2021, he's raised thousands of dollars in donations for the animal shelter, and for the East Haven Food Pantry.

His efforts did not go unnoticed. They landed him on TV. And not just any TV show, but The Drew Barrymore Show.

Last November, Connor was featured on the show's segment called Drew-Gooders.

In the segment, Barrymore "shines a light on two Drew-Gooders."

Connor shared that he started the pet food drive to honor his beloved dog Cheetah, who'd passed away.

"I think all pets should have as much love as he had," Connor said.

Soon after that appearance, Connor held another drive that would support not only the East Haven Animal Shelter, but he was concerned about kids and the elderly who may not get enough to eat. His family came up with "Can the Van," where folks filled his grandfather's van.