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Organizer Janice Mitchell Smith joined News 12’s Gwen Edwards to talk more about the event’s mission to help people in need.

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We have some interesting weather developing over the next few days, changing seasons, basically. And by the time we get to Sunday, it's going to be warmer but rainy and windy. So much rain, about 2 to 3 inches could fall that that may lead to some flooding. We may also have some damaging winds. Winds could gust as high as about 50 miles an hour and that's enough to possibly cause some power outages. So make sure all your devices are charged that knock down or destroy some of those holiday decorations. So please secure the objects outside your home if you can before Sunday. And then we want to watch the coast for some title flooding during our high tide cycle coming in Sunday into Monday. Now, tomorrow it's a chilly start to the morning but a better finish. Much warmer by the afternoon, winds are generally, I don't foresee any major issues on the roads due to the weather. Enjoy the day because it's quiet temperatures in the forties. So you still need some nice warm layers, but you really don't need the heavy duty winter coat. You will need the umbrellas and all that rain gear. Waking up Monday morning from that storm coming in late Sunday, temperatures are going to crash after that. Highs back into the forties and lows in the twenties next week.

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924ourlives_2023-09-24-13-16-24

Our Lives: Greater Waterbury Interfaith Ministries Hunger Walk

Welcome to our lives. I'm Gwen Edwards. Food insecurity is real and it is growing in our area. My guest today is tackling the problem. Janice Mitchell Smith. Thank you so much for joining us here today on our lives. Thank you so much, Gwen for having me today. Let's talk about the hunger walk that you are currently currently organizing. Yes. Well, the hunger walk is through Greater Waterbury Interfaith Ministries and that starts on the 30th of September until the 30th of October. Well, Gwen was founded in 1934 and distributes groceries at our emergency food pantry every second Monday and also on the last Monday of the month on the emergency places. And we feed over 25,000 meals per month because there's so many people who are working but have to decide whether or not they have to pay their bills or feed their families and talk about the demand. I understand people are lining up at four in the morning. Yes, it is a long line and we do need volunteers to come and help distribute on those days as well because we package up the food for them and it is a lot of work. So those are ways that the communities can get involved, businesses can get involved. So we wanted to make sure that it's not just for this month of giving, but it's every single day that we do need help to distribute the food to the needy and tell us how much of a growth that you have seen for the the demand for food. It has tripled, I believe or more than that over time because of the current state that we have right now with the increase in how much it's costing just to feed a family. Um And so we see the need, the great need for mothers, people that are working who can't even afford to feed their families. They have to decide whether or not they have to pay a bill or feed their Children. And a lot of times you see a greater need at the end of the month when people run out of snap benefits food stamps, correct. And that's why it's so important. Usually the last day of the month is the worst. So we do need those contributions. We do need those volunteers to come out and help. And so those are some of the things that we wanted to um make sure that people are aware of that they can come out and serve even if it's just for an hour just to help pack those bags for those needy families. And for those who want more information. Well, they can definitely go to our website, which is Wim Waterbury dot org and there's going to be a link there that shows them how it says hunger walk 2023. We are also looking for people to donate in ways of their time if they would like to walk and um, ask for, for followers to, to help sponsor them walking. Every person that sponsors can donate a minimum of $10 per mile and that will help as well. Well, Janice Mitchell Smith, thank you so much for joining us today and good luck with the Hunger Walk. Thank you so much and we wanna thank you for watching our lives where we bring you information interviews, you will see nowhere else for our lives. I'm Gwen Edwards.

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