More than 1,200 families in Hartford and Tolland counties will be able to sit down to Thanksgiving dinner thanks to the generosity of Hartford employers and residents who stopped by 185 Asylum St. this morning to drop off turkeys and other holiday food items, and donate money for additional meals.

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Laura Sullivan and Roman Uzdejczyk of Optum and Craig LaFiandra of UnitedHealthcare, both UnitedHeal ...

Laura Sullivan and Roman Uzdejczyk of Optum and Craig LaFiandra of UnitedHealthcare, both UnitedHealth Group companies (left to right), sort food donated by Hartford employers and residents who stopped by 185 Asylum St. to drop off turkeys and other holiday food items, and donate money for additional meals. The food will be distributed to more than 1,200 families in Hartford and Tolland counties who requested assistance in preparing their holiday meals. Foodshare will continue to collect and distribute food for Thanksgiving until Tuesday, Nov. 24. For more information on how to help, or for a list of food donation sites, visit www.aturkeyand30.org (PHOTO: Alan Grant, Digital Creations).

Over the course of the four-hour “Turkey Tuesday” food drive, hundreds of people dropped off turkeys, stuffing, cranberry sauce and other holiday food items. The food will be distributed to families in Hartford and Tolland counties who requested assistance in preparing their holiday meals.

“Thanksgiving is a holiday for everyone – at least it should be. Turkey Tuesday will help ensure our struggling neighbors can join in the celebration and have food all year long. We are so grateful for everyone who took the time to stop by and make a donation,” said James Arena-DeRosa, president and CEO of Foodshare. “And a special thanks to our friends at Bank of America and UnitedHealthcare for making this event such a success year after year.”

Foodshare will continue to collect and distribute food for Thanksgiving until Tuesday, Nov. 24. The food bank’s Bloomfield distribution center is accepting donations and has extended its hours of operation beginning Wednesday, Nov. 18. For more information on how to help, or for a list of food donation sites, visit www.aturkeyand30.org.

“Organizations like Foodshare help make our communities stronger by supporting families in need,” said Kevin Cunningham, Connecticut president, Bank of America. “Through the dedication of our volunteers and partners at Turkey Tuesday, more than 1,200 local families will get enough to eat for the Thanksgiving holiday.”

“UnitedHealthcare is grateful to partner with Foodshare so families in need may celebrate Thanksgiving with a delicious meal with all the trimmings,” said Craig LaFiandra of UnitedHealthcare. UnitedHealthcare employee volunteers helped gather donations and load the Foodshare truck with turkeys and other food donations, and UnitedHealthcare conducted its own food drive among its more than 2,000 Hartford-based employees at its 185 Asylum St. office.

About Foodshare
Recognized as one of the most innovative, progressive and efficient food banks in the country, Foodshare has served Hartford and Tolland counties since 1982. Last year, Foodshare provided enough food for 12 million meals to 300 partner programs including food pantries, community kitchens, and homeless shelters, and through its Mobile Foodshare program. The organization also works on reducing the need, with programs that help people get back on their feet and get the resources they need to buy their own food. Working in partnership with other community leaders such as the United Way, End Hunger Connecticut! and 211 Infoline, Foodshare has the experience and is building the networks necessary to help make this vision a reality.

About Bank of America
Bank of America is one of the world's leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 47 million consumer and small business relationships with approximately 4,700 retail financial centers, approximately 16,100 ATMs, and award-winning online banking with 32 million active users and more than 18 million mobile users. Bank of America is among the world's leading wealth management companies and is a global leader in corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 3 million small business owners through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and more than 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

About UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare is dedicated to helping people nationwide live healthier lives by simplifying the health care experience, meeting consumer health and wellness needs, and sustaining trusted relationships with care providers. The company offers the full spectrum of health benefit programs for individuals, employers, military service members, retirees and their families, and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and contracts directly with more than 850,000 physicians and care professionals, and 6,000 hospitals and other care facilities nationwide. UnitedHealthcare is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being company. For more information, visit UnitedHealthcare at www.uhc.com or follow @myUHC on Twitter.

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