Hey buddy... 56 cents buys a breakfast.   Numbers  Friends  Poster  Help us help  Feeders  and Eaters (Facebook)

New London Breakfasts is sponsored by the First Congregational Church of New London that provides fresh meals to the 

homeless and hungry of New London and Southeastern Connecticut.     

New London Breakfasts     C/O First Congregational Church     P.O. Box 322   New London, CT 06320  webmaster  

Buddy News: We served 1, 393 guests in July and nearly 10,000 of the homeless and hungry were feed a freshly prepared meal already in 2010.  Click The Numbers below to see all the data for this year.

More Buddy News: Our group on Facebook is  Feeders and Eaters.  Please feel free to make a comment.

Even More Buddy News:   Here's how we did in July.

	July	2010
Date	Guests	Seconds	Volunteer	Eggs	Meat	Bread	Potatoes	Coffee	Juice	Milk
			(hours)	(doz.)	(lbs.)	(loves)	(lbs.)	(gals.)	(gals.)	(gals.)
1	69	1	11	12	5	3	20	3	3.5	3
2	60	8	12	15	5	3	12	3	3	3
5	53	7	10	7	6	7	0	3	3	3
6	63	6	9	13	3	3	0	2.5	3	3
7	65	0	10	3	6	0	0	5	4	5
8	61	0	10	11.5	4	3	20	3	4	3
9	54	5	10	15	8	3	16	3	3	3
12	55	2	10	8	5	8	0	3	3	3
13	51	16	10	13	3	4	0	3	3	3
14	57	5	8	3	6	0	0	6	4	4
15	66	2	10	12	4	3	20	3	3	3
16	70	5	10	15	5	3	14	3	3	3
19	61	0	12	8	5	8	0	3	3	3
20	68	7	10	12	5	5	0	3	6	3
21	65	10	8	3	6	0	0	3	3	3
22	59	0	10	12	4	3	25	3	3	3
23	88	1	10	16	4	3.5	20	4	3	3
26	60	4	7	6	4	7	0	3	4	3
27	70	10	8	12	5	4	0	4	4	4
28	57	7	8	4	6	0	0	4	3	3
29	72	7	10	14	8	3	16	3	3	3
30	68	10	10	14	8	4	16	3	3	3
June	1392	113	213	228.5	115	77.5	179	73.5	74.5	70
YTD	9299	795	1654	1413.5	852.75	532	1121	480.5	480.5	479.5
	Guests	Seconds	Volunteer	Eggs	Meat	Bread	Potatoes	Coffee	Juice	Milk
			(hours)	(doz.)	(lbs.)	(loves)	(lbs.)	(gals.)	(gals.)	(gals.)

Buddy News:  2009 was another record-breaking year

In a grim reminder of the economic conditions faced by many in our region,  New London Breakfasts served 17,161 guests in 2009, nearly 400 more that 2008.  This is the fourth straight record- breaking year for the program.       

Be a Breakfast Buddy.

December 2009 marked the fourth anniversary of New London Breakfasts.  We've been able to serve thousands of meals with help of volunteers and the generous support from individuals, religious organizations, community groups and businesses.    You can help us raise the $9,500 we need for 2010 by becoming a Breakfast Buddy

 

Volunteers donated 1,441 hours in the first six months of 2010.  That's a big reason why we can make a meal for just 56 cents.

What is New London Breakfasts? 

Begun in December 2005, New London Breakfasts offers freshly prepared, hot meals to all who are hungry from the Parish Hall of the First Congregational Church of New London, Connecticut.   Meals are served every weekday by volunteers from the Church and the surrounding community.  New London Breakfasts is non-sectarian and relies entirely on donations to purchase food and supplies used for the program.

At New London Breakfasts, we crack lots eggs. Every Monday one of our volunteers drives to the Kofkoff Egg Farm Company in Bozrah, Connecticut to pick up 45 dozen of eggs (540 eggs) that they donate to the breakfast program.  We use every last one and could not run New London Breakfasts without their generosity.  Photo by Kim Gash

Is New London Breakfasts important?  

There are other programs in the region to help people in need, New London Breakfasts is one of the few that helps people start their day off with a nutritious meal.  Many of our guests live hectic and difficult lives, often unsure what and where they will eat next.  Our program provides a rock of consistency for many who know they can count on starting their day with a hot meal.  

Who eats at New London Breakfast?  Most of our guests are homeless men, many of whom stayed the previous night at the New London Homeless Hospitality Center which is just a few blocks away at the St. James Episcopal Church.  Not all are homeless and we do serve a few women and even a few children.  We know that some share an apartment and are employed, while other live in their car.   Our guests represent every race and vary in ages from teenagers to men and women well into their golden years.

What do you serve for breakfast? Our menu depends on what is available from donations and what we can purchase.   Each meal has a main course, prepared that day that consists of scrambled eggs, pan cakes or French toast.  Aside from the main item, we offer a breakfast meat, hash browns, toast, cold cereal, hot cereal and grits (during the colder months), fruit juice, coffee, milk, tea and fruit, when available.

New London Breakfast starts with people who get up very early.

Things start between 5 and 5:30 in the morning when that day's cook-in-charge lights the stove and oven, cranks up the coffee pot and gets things ready for cooking.  Others arrive to set the dining area, the cereal, juice and coffee tables and assist in the cooking.   There are usually lots of eggs to crack, pancakes or French toast to cook and ham or sausages to heat up. During breakfast volunteers serve the meal and restock the coffee, milk, juice and condiments.  At 7:30 we close the door and start cleaning.   The floors are mopped, tables cleaned, pots and pans are run in the dishwasher and all the trash is taken out.  Later the Daily Breakfast Log is completed and usually everything is done by 8:15.  

At least two or three times a week supplies and food is purchased and often the cook-in-charge works an hour or two the day before to get things ready for the next meal.   And at least once a month the program's results are tabulated, bills paid and informal meetings held to review progress, solve problems and keep New London Breakfasts going.  

If you're thinking this is no small operation, you're right and yes, we  could use some help.

Volunteers We need three or four more volunteers to serve as a day's cook-in-charge for Mondays and to act as a back up for others who are unable to work their normal days.  We could use someone with a car or pickup who is willing to shop and pick up supplies and we could use some administrative help.  Others are welcome to assist in cooking, serving and clean up as their time permits.

Importantly, we need people to treat the program as they treat their job; sticking to a regular schedule and keeping the lines of communication open when problems come up.  We don't need 15 volunteers showing up unannounced one morning with nothing to do and no one showing up the next.  New London Breakfast is not a business but we have to treat it as if it were.  

You can help with a donation or by volunteering or both.    Click on   Yes, I want to help to get started.

A poster to print:  Need a reminder of what we're doing? We've added a modest tool to our marketing arsenal, designed to print on standard 8.5 by 11 inch paper.  Print away at poster.

And thanks buddy!   We'll crack some eggs for ya.