The Thomas Merton Family Center

The Thomas Merton Family Center A program of Catholic Charities of Fairfield County, Inc. -Dining Services:
Serving breakfast & lunch daily from 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM.

Over 300 guests served each day

-Connie’s Eat Smart Food Pantry:
Among the largest in Bridgeport, provides 5 days of nutritious meals each week. Guests select groceries with dignity in a grocery store setting. New cooking classes for healthy eating and community-building.

-Case Management:
Helping guests break poverty cycles through intake assessments, action plans, resource conn

ections, and advocacy.

- Mail Program:
Provides a secure mailing address for those without one, enabling access to Social Security, Medical, and EBT cards.

- Shower Program:
Warm showers, clean towels, toiletries, and new socks, underwear, and t-shirts provided to guests.

- Immigration Legal Services:
DOJ-accredited Catholic Charities team offers affordable, reliable legal counseling to navigate citizenship and family reunification.

-Housing Assistance:
Support in finding housing for homeless and housing-insecure guests, managing limited resources.

-Partnerships and Future Collaborations:
With Southwest Community Health Center, CT State Community College, STRIVE/Career Resources Job Training, ESL and Financial Literacy Classes.



- Southwest Community Health Center Services:
– Family Practice Medicine (Internal Medicine and Pediatrics)
– Behavioral Health
Hours of Operation:
Mon: Closed | Tues: 8:30am – 2:00pm | Wed: 8:30am – 2:00pm | Thurs: 8:30am – 2:00pm | Fri: Closed | Sat: Closed
*Disclaimer – As the need increases, our schedule will expand to offer more service hours for the community. Please call 203-330-6000 or speak with your case manager for the most current hours of operations. FOOD PANTRY:
The Thomas Merton Family Center Food Pantry will be open for shopping on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Under the new schedule, we will be dividing shopping days by last name. Each family will still shop just once a month. To find yourshopping day, please see the chart below:
TUESDAYS: Last names beginning with A, B, C, D, E, F, G
WEDNESDAYS: Last names beginning with H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P
THURSDAYS: Last names beginning with Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z

The pantry will hold open registration for new families every Monday from 10 am to 1 pm. We will no longer require advance appointments for registration.

08/13/2026
A truck carrying 20,000 pounds of food rolled into Catholic Charities of Fairfield County's Thomas Merton Family Center ...
08/04/2026

A truck carrying 20,000 pounds of food rolled into Catholic Charities of Fairfield County's Thomas Merton Family Center in Bridgeport, bringing more than just pantry staples. It brought hope for the families and individuals who rely on us every day.

We extend our sincere appreciation to the volunteers who helped unload and organize this incredible donation. We also offer a special thank you to the employees of Meyer, Inc., whose hands-on support moving pallets into our vehicles helped make this effort a success.

This incredible donation is part of a nationwide collaboration between JustServe, the community service platform of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and America250's America Gives initiative, which is delivering 250 truckloads of food to communities across all 50 states.

We are deeply grateful for this generosity and to every volunteer who helped make this possible.

08/04/2026
Fairfield University may be on summer break, however the Nemec family certainly recognized that hunger never takes a vac...
07/25/2026

Fairfield University may be on summer break, however the Nemec family certainly recognized that hunger never takes a vacation. Fairfield University President, Dr. Mark Nemec, his daughter Kit, and her friend Catherine answered the call of service on Tuesday by preparing and serving a meal in our dining hall. And the very next day Suzy Nemec and Jen Harding channeled their inner Jesuit by spending the day serving our guests breakfast and lunch.

A hot shower can restore more than cleanliness, it can restore dignity, confidence, and hope.At Thomas Merton Family Cen...
06/30/2026

A hot shower can restore more than cleanliness, it can restore dignity, confidence, and hope.

At Thomas Merton Family Center, our Shower Program provides hot showers for neighbors experiencing homelessness. To keep this essential service available, we are in need of donations of:

- Travel size shampoo
- Deodorant

Donations can be dropped off at:

Thomas Merton Family Center
1406 State Street
Bridgeport, CT

Drop-off Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Please call 203-367-9036 before dropping off to coordinate your donation.

Every small item you give helps someone leave with renewed dignity and a reminder that their community cares. Thank you for making a difference.

A sincere thank you to Patrizia DeGennaro and the staff of Troutman Pepper Locke in Stamford for assembling and donating...
06/24/2026

A sincere thank you to Patrizia DeGennaro and the staff of Troutman Pepper Locke in Stamford for assembling and donating 100 toiletry bags for the Thomas Merton Family Center Shower Program.

Our shower program provides hot showers for approximately 50 guests each week, offering not only access to hygiene essentials, but also dignity, comfort, and a fresh start.

Our need for toiletries continues throughout the year. Every donation helps support the individuals and families who turn to the Thomas Merton Family Center for meals, pantry services, showers, case management, and other essential resources.

Thank you for helping us care for our neighbors with dignity and compassion

A huge shoutout to Edna and Eugene!They generously donated a brand‑new ice machine to the Thomas Merton Family Center, w...
06/18/2026

A huge shoutout to Edna and Eugene!
They generously donated a brand‑new ice machine to the Thomas Merton Family Center, which means we can start serving iced tea to our guests all summer long.

Their kindness is helping us keep our community cool, refreshed, and cared for during these hot months.
Thank you, Edna and Eugene!

Shoutout to Larry and Sharon Jones!At the end of every month, they bring, prepare, and serve their own homemade meals to...
06/12/2026

Shoutout to Larry and Sharon Jones!
At the end of every month, they bring, prepare, and serve their own homemade meals to our Thomas Merton Family Center guests with so much love and care. Their kindness brings comfort, dignity, and joy to our community.

Check out their photos below and help us celebrate these incredible volunteers!

Join us for an afternoon of shopping, refreshments, and community while supporting the Thomas Merton Family Center.On Th...
06/08/2026

Join us for an afternoon of shopping, refreshments, and community while supporting the Thomas Merton Family Center.

On Thursday, June 11, from 12:00 - 4:00 p.m., our Donor Relations Officer, Marianne Kahn, will host a special summer shopping event at J.McLaughlin. Guests will have the opportunity to explore J. McLaughlin's newest collection while giving back to neighbors in need.

J. McLaughlin will generously donate 10% of all sales during the event to the Thomas Merton Family Center, helping provide meals, hospitality, and critical support services to individuals and families throughout our community.

Whether you're looking to refresh your summer wardrobe or simply stop by to say hello, we'd love to see you there.

Thank you to J. McLaughlin for helping make this meaningful afternoon possible.

06/02/2026

We’re excited to give back to our community with FREE dental screenings in partnership with the Thomas Merton Family Center!

Join us on June 17th from 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM at:
📍 1406 State St, Bridgeport, CT

This event is open to the public—no insurance required.

Whether it’s been a while since your last check-up or you just want peace of mind, our team is here to help.

Feel free to share this post with friends and family who may benefit—we’d love to help as many people as possible!

Address

1406 State Street
Bridgeport, CT
06605

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 3pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 3pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 3pm
Thursday 8:30am - 3pm
Friday 8:30am - 3pm

Telephone

+12033679036

Website

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