Our contractors are working feverishly to get the super pantry ready. Despite their efforts, we have decided to push the opening back a little. We are now shooting for early January. That means lucky volunteers get to experience more of the winter weather we have come to know and love at Terrace Place. You are welcome!

Inside, the new place is unrecognizable from the Volunteer Appreciation Party, held just one month ago. Walls are up, primer applied, and this week the floors are being redone - a major undertaking just by itself. Perhaps most noticeable of all, the parking lot has been completely renewed with eco-friendly millings. No more weedy wilderness! Special thanks to American Pavement Specialists for contributing their equipment and expertise to get this huge job done. Jay Moody "supervised" the project and kept the crew supplied with coffee and donuts! Thank you Jay!

Despite on and off downpours, our 40th Anniversary Volunteer Appreciation Party was a huge success. Well over 100 volunteers - past, present, and future - enjoyed gourmet wood-fired pizza and delicious ice cream. Fun and games were had, and we took a glance back at who we were in 1984.

Any guesses who this lot could be?

Or any of these?

Thank you to everyone who submitted photos - far too many to include here!

In what we hope will be a regular event, Read-To-Grow's Bookmobile came to the pantry on a recent Friday. We had a bumper crop of kids to walk through the truck - perhaps getting them started on a life-long reading habit. If you like these photos, there are more on this Instagram Reel. Make sure to turn the sound on for extra feel-good vibes!

There's so much going on at the pantry right now, we can just cover a handful of things!

The Danbury Health Department held two pop-up flu shot events. All guests getting the shot received a pineapple!

Speaking of pineapples, we've had a lot recently. So many, in fact, that designer Gregg and fashionista Marinete turned the tops into wearables.

As always, the van has being working round-the-clock picking up donations. Here, it is swinging by Rockwell Elementary to collect the annual "cereal dominos" haul.

An amazing group of kids arrived to help sort and shelve a huge donation from our wonderful neighbor and friend, United Jewish Center.

15 minutes earlier, another amazing group, this time from Congregation Shir Shalom in Ridgefield, had visited with their gigantic donation!

We took a field trip to visit former volunteer coordinator and loyal friend of the pantry, Marybeth Alpuche. Marybeth organized a tour of the pantry she now volunteers at in PA. Let's just say it's time to step up our game!!

The registration gang and Sirely going the extra mile as always!

No need to be scared, on November 1 we will be handing out toothpaste and toothbrushes!

Donations come in all forms, big and small. This adorable couple showed up the other day with delicious Halloween brownies. Unforgivably, I've forgotten their names.