Stew Leonard's Partners With Local Charity To Feed Hungry Children

Information via Stew Leonard's

NORWALK, CT — On Dec. 5, a team from Stew Leonard's volunteered at Filling In The Blanks, a Norwalk-based charity that fights childhood hunger by providing children in need with meals on the weekends.

According to a news release provided by the store, Stew's volunteers filled more than 2,500 bags of food that morning.

Beth Leonard Hollis, daughter of late store founder Stew Leonard Sr., was recently introduced to Filling In The Blanks founders Shawnee Knight and Tina Kramer and knew their mission aligned perfectly with Stew Leonard's and the Leonard family.

"I think back to our grandfather, Charles Leo Leonard, when he was delivering milk during the depression," Leonard Hollis said in a news release. "One day there was a note on the door of one of his customers. It said, 'No milk today.' My grandfather knew that they had a houseful of children and babies who needed milk, but the family couldn't afford to pay. My grandfather delivered it anyway and said, 'I will be the one to decide when you stop your milk delivery. Pay me when you can.' That family still shops at Stew's today."

Stew Leonard's is currently donating milk, bread and yogurt to Filling In the Blanks’ mobile pantry and is working with Shawnee and Tina to organize another morning of service with Stew Leonard's volunteers.