Norwich — Like every school activity, the Wildcat Loft clothing and food pantry at Norwich Free Academy had to shift the way it operated during the COVID-19 pandemic, at first emptying its shelves to students in need when school switched to remote learning in March.

The need grew for the families of many students over the next several months, so NFA staff volunteered to deliver food to needy families using the NFA cafeteria van. Word soon spread of their efforts.

Last week, Backus Hospital selected NFA and the Wildcat Loft to receive the 2020 Backus President’s Award for Community Partnership with an accompanying $10,000 donation. The award was presented Monday.

Shirley Kutia, administrative assistant in the NFA Diversity office, who coordinates the Wildcat Loft, said she was “overwhelmed” by the award.

With the advance notice last week, Kutia and staff volunteers launched a new plan. They purchased Thanksgiving turkeys and meals for 50 students’ families and with a donated First Student schoolbus, they delivered the meals on Friday.

“We’re so close to Thanksgiving, you really can’t give out a frozen turkeys two days before Thanksgiving,” Kutia said.

The rest of the Backus donation will be used to restock the depleted food pantry.

“Now we’re getting in the groove of filling up our pantry and starting weekly food bags again,” she said.

The Wildcat Loft is in the Terrell Building near the NFA cafeteria. After lunch, students can “shop” for slightly used clothing, and students referred by guidance counselors, teachers and others can collect a weekly bag of food to bring home. The Wildcat Loft also includes new school supplies, toiletries and other household essential items.

Backus Hospital officials said in New London County about 16.8% of children are at risk of going hungry, with more than 8,930 children in the region “not certain where their next meal will come from.”

“This has been a challenging time for everyone in our community, and especially difficult for young people whose families are struggling financially,” Donna Handley, president of Backus Hospital and Windham Hospital, said in the news release. “Like Backus Hospital, Norwich Free Academy is part of the bedrock of our community, and we are honored to assist in the Wildcat Loft’s wonderful work — providing students with food, clothing and essential items to ensure health and maintain dignity.''

The Wildcat Loft was founded in 2013. Staff and alumni donate clothes, food and supplies. Students regularly donate their study hall time to work in the loft and pack the food bags. Student recipients can sign up themselves or are referred to the program by school staff.

“Before the virus, anyone at any time could be in need of food,” Kutia said. “Some families just go through hard times for short periods of times, in between jobs, looking for job. Since the pandemic came along, things really got worse.”

Many NFA students or parents lost jobs at restaurants, businesses or at the casinos during the pandemic. NFA staff knew where students’ families worked and knew who might need help, Kutia said.

The Backus President’s Award was established in 2011 to recognize and assist community partners that to help improve health and quality of life, the hospital news release said.

"We extend our gratitude to Backus Hospital for this incredibly generous gift," NFA Head of School Brian Kelly said in the news release. "We are partners. Together, we serve the same community. Since the start of the pandemic, we have simply not been able to keep up with the demand in our own community. This gift changes that and provides us with the ability to fight the battle of food insecurity together."

c.bessette@theday.com