When 78‑year‑old Patty walks into the Neighbor to Neighbor pantry each week, she isn’t doing so because of an emergency. She is there because the math no longer adds up. “Money got a little bit tighter as the years went on,” she says, noting that Social Security can’t keep pace with rising rent, utility bills and unreliable building water.

Patty’s experience may surprise some, but it is a growing reality in Greenwich – one of the nation’s wealthiest towns. United for ALICE reports that 27% of Greenwich residents now struggle to afford basics such as food, housing, child care and transportation, and that figure is climbing.

Local Data Shows a Worsening Situation

Statewide, Connecticut ranks as the most food‑insecure state in New England and second in the Northeast, with 14.3% of residents facing food insecurity, according to a United Way needs assessment. Food‑price inflation in the state has risen 3.6%, while SNAP enrollment has fallen 11%, representing 41,845 fewer recipients between January and December.

In Greenwich, the only food pantry, Neighbor to Neighbor, has seen a 14% increase in clients over the past year. The surge is driven by higher food and gas costs and recent federal cuts to SNAP benefits that have widened the budget gap for thousands of families across Fairfield County.

Community Response Steps Up

Neighbor to Neighbor, a staple in Greenwich for more than five decades, is expanding its efforts to meet the heightened demand. Over the past year the organization has:

• Expanded its community garden program, providing fresh produce to families.
• Grown its volunteer corps to increase distribution capacity.
• Partnered with the Greenwich High School PTA to support the Care Closet, supplying essential items to students.
• Distributed 33,750 meals to families with children who lose school‑meal access during the summer.

For the upcoming holiday season, the pantry plans to deliver 600 complete Thanksgiving meals to local families.

How Residents Can Help

During Hunger Action Month this September, Neighbor to Neighbor is launching a virtual food drive. Every dollar donated goes directly to feeding the more than 900 households that rely on the pantry, including seniors like Patty who are “one unexpected bill away from going without.”

Community members are encouraged to donate, spread the word and explore volunteer opportunities at ntngreenwich.org/hungeractionmonth. The organization emphasizes that the need is real, local, and growing, and that collective action can make a tangible difference.

Patty’s story underscores a broader truth: hunger does not discriminate by zip code. It affects seniors, families, and children across the spectrum of wealth. By supporting Neighbor to Neighbor, Greenwich residents can help ensure that no neighbor goes without the basic nourishment they need to thrive.

Original reporting: The Connecticut Mirror — read the source article.