Norwich — Businesses throughout eastern Connecticut wanted to donate to help people in need during the COVID-19 emergency without attracting attention to themselves, so they contacted the foundation arm of the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut.

The foundation collected donations, added its own contribution and by Thursday had raised nearly $20,000. The foundation board decided to use the money to assist local emergency food services.

On Tuesday, the group made a $7,750 donation to the New London Community Meal Center. And on Thursday morning, foundation board Chairman Lou Ziegler made a homecoming visit to the former St. Joseph School in Norwich, where he had attended grammar school. Ziegler and Chamber President and CEO Tony Sheridan presented a $7,750 check to the St. Vincent de Paul Place soup kitchen that occupies the former school.

The facility, normally starting to hum with lunch clients, remains a focal point for takeout meal distribution, food pantry services and a center where a few homeless people safely spread out in the former dining hall. The facility still can provide showers to those in need, with careful safety provisions, Executive Director Jillian Corbin told the chamber leaders.

St. Vincent daily is providing 130 takeout breakfasts, more than 200 bagged lunches and 250 additional takeout sandwiches each day, Corbin said. Food pantry use is up 15% but has seen double the number of new households using the service. Families who used to come once a month now need food help once a week, she said.

A steady cadre of volunteers continues to come every day to prepare and package meals and clean the facility. Thursdays is always turkey dinner day, and Corbin said St. Vincent is continuing that tradition.

Corbin said New London County has responded to the COVID-19 crisis with overwhelming generosity. Volunteers have helped prepare and package the to-go meals. Donors have provided everything from food to packing supplies. Donors to the food pantry have dropped off “six or 60 cans of tuna.”

She called it a “phenomenal, wonderful, difficult experience.”

Two local businesses, Voc’s West Side Pizza and Grillo’s Pickles, have teamed up to offer St. Vincent five days of to-go meals, including the pickle of course, Corbin said.

Josh Vocatura, owner of Voc’s West Side Pizza, said the effort started with the Norwich Acts of Kindness. He said Grillo’s owner, Travis Grillo, contacted him with the idea of helping the community, and they decided to help the soup kitchen with the growing need for food assistance.

“At a time like this, helping the community is the thing,” Vocatura said.

Sheridan said the anonymous business donations are continuing, as well, and future donations to local food service organizations will be made.

Anyone interested in contributing to the chamber foundation fund is asked to call the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut office at (860) 701-9113.

“There’s an enormous amount of generosity in the community right now,” Sheridan said.

c.bessette@theday.com