Waterford — Charter Oak Federal Credit Union donated more than $100,000 in emergency food assistance to eastern Connecticut’s food pantries and food centers during 2020, the credit union has announced in a news release.

Charter Oak initially donated $75,000 in emergency grants in April for food supplies at food centers and food pantries serving New London and Windham counties. The credit union donated an additional $32,000 in year-end assistance to the organizations in December for a total of $107,000 in emergency food assistance.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has been particularly hard on our region’s food pantries because the demand was so strong throughout the year, especially during the holidays,” said Brian Orenstein, Charter Oak’s president and chief executive officer. “So in addition to our donations this past spring, we made sure to allocate an additional $32,000 at year’s end to help restock the shelves from the holidays so there are supplies available for the new year.”

The 16 eastern Connecticut organizations that received emergency food assistance from Charter Oak include: Always Home in Mystic; Care & Share of East Lyme; Covenant Soup Kitchen in Willimantic; Friends of Assisi Food Pantry in Danielson; Interfaith Human Services of Putnam-Daily Bread; Gemma E. Moran United Way/Labor Food Center in New London; Groton Social Services Food Lockers; Montville Food Bank (Montville Social Services); New London Area Food Pantry; New London Community Meal Center; New London Homeless Hospitality Center; Norwich Community Meal Program DBA Lee Memorial UMC; Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center; Rosalyn Allen Food Pantry in Norwich; Saint Mary's Church Food Pantry in Jewett City; and St. Vincent de Paul Place in Norwich.