Team members from Coldwell Banker Realty’s Branford office recently delivered over 350 pounds of food they had collected to the Community Dining Room (CDR) of Branford. Photo courtesy of CDR

Coldwell Banker Realty’s Branford office recently challenged its team members to a summer food drive that ultimately delivered three incredible carloads of donations to Branford’s nonprofit organization Community Dining Room (CDR).

Patrick Hackett, CDR fundraising coordinator, said the food collected and delivered by the Coldwell Banker team weighed more than 350 pounds. The food donations were collected at the Coldwell Banker office in downtown Branford, 1024 Main Street, and team members went door-to-door to collect additional donations, Hackett said. Customers, neighbors, family and friends of Coldwell Banker agents all helped make the drive a success.

The nonprofit CDR, based in Branford at the Patricia C. Andriole Volunteer Services Center, 30 Harrison Avenue, cooks and serves hundreds of nutritious free meals weekly. In addition to meals, CDR also offers other assistance programs and services. CDR serves community members from Branford, North Branford, East Haven and Guilford.

Coldwell Banker team members Gina Lee, Michele Kowolenko, Jaime Lettieri, Heather Schweikert, Sheri Peterson, Stephen Wilhelm, Nancy Hunt, Donna Ricci, Carter Burgess, Steve Burke, Chuck Conti, Lauren Freedman, Barbara Altieri and Samantha Celantano Severino all helped make the food drive organized by Sally Tucker a success.

Tucker brought the idea to the office after discussing the mission of the nonprofit CDR with her friend Sue Asher, who is a CDR volunteer and a member of the program committee.

For more information about CDR, visit communitydiningroom.org