St. Vincent de Paul of the Valley Thrift Shoppe & Food Bank - Women Farmers In Focus Pt. 3 with Chris Bassette - CT Foodshare

·55 min·5 clips

Discover how a thrift shop funds a food bank and meet a woman farmer continuing a 130-year family legacy.

The episode begins with host John Voquette introducing three segments focused on community issues. First, Remy Kosarek, executive director of St. Vincent de Paul of the Valley Thrift Shop and Food Bank, explains how the thrift shop funds the food bank, serving over 7,600 people in 2025 with a 112% increase since 2021. She details the thrift shop's operations, donation guidelines, and plans for a pantry expansion to allow clients to shop for themselves. Next, Chris Bassette of Killam and Bassette Farmstead in Glastonbury discusses her family's farm, established in 1893, which grows 95 acres of fruits and vegetables, raises livestock, and produces tobacco. She describes the tobacco cultivation process, the farm's diverse revenue streams including CSAs and farmers markets, and her role as a woman farmer. Finally, Jason Jakubowski, president and CEO of Connecticut FoodShare, talks about the organization's response to food insecurity, including delivering food to unpaid TSA agents during a government shutdown. He highlights a drop in federal food donations and the importance of financial support, especially in summer when need peaks. The episode weaves together themes of local charity, agricultural sustainability, and systemic hunger challenges.

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