Fill the Crosley Food Drive at Heav’nly Donuts in Derby to benefit Spooner House

(New Haven) – On Sunday April 9, from noon to 5 p.m., Heav’nly Donuts will host the popular Dust-Off Car Cruise and collection of non-perishable food items to benefit the Spooner House and Valley Food Bank in Shelton . Spooner House has the mission of providing food, shelter and support services to people in need. The goal is to over-fill a classic 1948 Crosley station wagon with donated canned goods and other food items.

The Dust-Off Cruise will take place at Heav'nly Donuts, 653 New Haven Ave. in Derby and this year is the 31st annual car cruise. The goal is to collect 4,500 total donated food items. Last year the event filled the Crosley wagon with at least 4,161 food items. This event also provides the perfect reason to bring out your classic car in preparation for the cruising season.

Heav’nly Donuts normally runs the classic cruises every Sunday afternoon from Mothers’ Day until late October. The April Dust-Off Car Cruise kicks off a tradition started five years ago by the Derby Heav'nly Donuts. Cruisers and spectators who come to see all the great cars and motorcycles and who also bring canned goods and non-perishable food items, will be helping some of this years hardest hit people.

"It is very expensive to live in Connecticut , and meeting general living expenses is more difficult for families with low or very little income. Our mission is to help non-profit organizations such as Spooner House and the Valley Food Bank," commented Ernie Badas, owner of Heav'nly Donuts. "All charities and non-profits have lost substantial portions of their operating budget due to the state cuts, which are making it even harder than last year for Spooner House to provide food, shelter and other support services for people who need assistance in the lower Naugatuck Valley ."

So dust off your rides, come get together with friends, see the vintage cars, listen to oldies music and give the Spooner House pantries a fill-up.

In case of inclement weather, the rain date for the Dust-Off Car Cruise to Benefit Spooner House will take place on Sunday, April 16 which is Easter. For more details and information call 203-734-4185.

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Non-profit Area Congregations Together, Inc. (ACT) was formed in1979 to help fill gaps in the lower Naugatuck Valley 's social service network. Today, Spooner House is operated by ACT and is a facility that provides food, shelter and support services to approximately 175 men, women and children each year. More than 4,000 individuals have been served by the Food

Bank this past year, comprising more than 120,000 meals. Spooner House is recognized as one of the most comprehensive emergency shelter programs in Connecticut and through its food bank provides ten days' worth of groceries each month to participating families throughout the lower Naugatuck Valley . Spooner House is devoted to helping people establish self-sufficiency in an atmosphere of respect and dignity. Area Congregations Together, Inc. is a partner agency of the Valley United Way .