Updated 10/27/26
Hamden Food Drive & Charity Workout: Join RTS and ACES This Thanksgiving
A stronger community is built when people show up for one another.
On Saturday, November 14, 2026, Ranfone Training Systems and ACES are bringing neighbors, families, and local businesses together for the 5th Annual Hamden Food Drive & Charity Workout.
Join us and special guest Heidi for a morning of movement, connection, and giving back. We’re collecting food for families within the ACES community and raising money for Connecticut Foodshare. This year, our fundraising goal is $3,600, alongside food donations collected through November 20.
In an effort to raise even more money this year, we’ve added a silent auction featuring items donated by our community. We’ll also have coffee and treats, a pop-up photo booth, and time to connect with the people who make this community special.
Whether you join us for the workout, come to watch, donate food, contribute financially, or share the event, you can help make this year’s effort a success.
[PRE-REGISTER FOR THE EVENT]
Hamden Food Drive and Charity Workout Details
- When: Saturday, November 14, 2026
- Check-in: Begins at 7:30 a.m.
- Workout: Begins at 8:00 a.m.
- Silent Auction: 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
- Where: Ranfone Training Systems, 109 Sanford Street, Hamden, CT
- Admission: $10 and a food item per attendee
- Who can participate: Everyone is welcome. The workout is geared toward all ages. You can attend and not workout, as well.
- Final food donation date: November 20, 2026
Please register everyone attending with you, including children. Admission and food donations will be collected at check-in.
Bring a food item and join us for a morning of movement, connection, and giving back. Invite a friend, family member, or coworker to participate with you and introduce them to this annual community effort.
After the workout, enjoy coffee and treats generously donated by Whitney Donut & Sandwich Shop. Their continued support helps make this gathering possible and gives everyone a chance to spend time together after training.
Everyone Is Welcome
Whether you train at RTS, already have a gym you call home, or are simply looking for a way to support your neighbors, you’re invited.
We know walking into a different gym can feel unfamiliar, but this day is about bringing our community together to support our neighbors. RTS is honored to host it.
You’re welcome to join the workout or simply come to watch, meet new friends, and be part of the morning. Bring a friend, family member, or coworker and join us in making Hamden stronger, together.
What to Expect at the Charity Workout Event
We’ll begin with a welcome from our community and charity partners, followed by a group warmup and five coach-led workout stations. After the workout, Corey and Marc will lead a group cool-down with guided stretches and movements.
You’re welcome to participate in the workout or cheer everyone on. However you choose to spend the morning, we’re glad you’re here.
Silent Auction
In an effort to raise even more money this year, we’ve added a silent auction featuring items donated by our community.
Browse contributions from local businesses, RTS members, and community partners, place a bid, and you may leave with a basket, gift card, or something else to enjoy. Each donated item and bid gives our community another way to support neighbors in need.
The auction will run for approximately one hour after the workout concludes.
Pop-Up Photo Booth
Stop by our pop-up photo booth in front of the RTS sign on the black turf. Grab a sign and take a picture with your family, friends, workout group, or someone you met that morning.
It’s a chance to remember the people you shared the day with and the part you played in making Hamden stronger, together.
Free Physical Therapy Assessments
The team from ProMotion Performance Therapy, an independently owned physical therapy practice located inside RTS, will offer free assessments in a designated area of the gym.
Coffee, Treats, and Community
After the workout, stick around for a group photo and time with your neighbors. Coffee and treats will be generously provided by Whitney Donut & Sandwich Shop.
Where Your Donations Go
This event supports two connected efforts to help people facing food insecurity.
Food donations will be distributed to people in need within the ACES community. Monetary donations will go to Connecticut Foodshare to support neighbors in need this Thanksgiving.
By collecting both groceries and financial contributions, the event gives people several ways to participate. You can choose the option that works for you, knowing that your contribution supports the shared goal of helping our community.
Help Us Reach Our $3,600 Fundraising Goal
Our community has continued to show up for this event year after year. Along with hundreds of pounds of donated food, the fundraiser raised $2,000 in 2024 and $2,500 in 2025.
This year, we’re working toward $3,600.
Your workout admission, monetary donations, and efforts to spread the word can help us reach that goal. Food contributions are equally welcome and will support the collection for ACES families.
For anyone looking for a way to give back locally this Thanksgiving, this Hamden food drive offers an opportunity to contribute alongside neighbors, local businesses, and the RTS community.
What to Donate to the Hamden Food Drive
We’re collecting everyday food and drink items, including:
- Water and juice
- Pasta and pasta sauce
- Hot and cold cereal
- Oatmeal
- Beans
- Canned vegetables and fruit
- Snacks
- Milk
Please donate unopened items within their expiration dates. Before bringing milk or other products that require refrigeration, check with your chosen drop-off location about storage arrangements.
You can bring groceries to the charity workout on November 14 or drop them off at a participating location through November 20. If you cannot attend the event, your food donations are still welcome.
Food Donation Drop-off Locations
You can contribute to the Hamden food drive at these three locations:
| Location | Address |
|---|---|
| ACES | 205 Skiff Street, Hamden, CT |
| Ranfone Training Systems | 109 Sanford Street, Hamden, CT |
| Whitney Donut & Sandwich Shop | 2574 Whitney Avenue, Hamden, CT |
Please check the location’s operating hours before visiting. The final donation date is November 20, 2026.
If you are collecting food with coworkers, friends, or a community group, share the requested items and deadline with everyone participating. Bringing several contributions together is another way to help people take part, even when they cannot make it to the workout.
How to Make a Monetary Donation
You can support the fundraiser even if you cannot join us on November 14.
Scan the Venmo QR code on the event flyer below to make a monetary donation. If Venmo requests verification of the recipient’s phone number, the last four digits are 8918.
Monetary donations will support Connecticut Foodshare. Every contribution helps us move toward our $3,600 fundraising goal and extends the impact of this annual event beyond the workout itself.
Donate an Item to the Silent Auction
Our new silent auction is possible because of the generosity of local businesses, RTS members, and community partners.
We’re looking for gift cards, products, services, experiences, small baskets, and individual items. Our suggested donation value is $50–$100, though contributions of other values are welcome. Individual items can also be combined with other donations to create a basket.
Participating businesses will have an opportunity to display their logo in the gym and be recognized on select RTS digital channels. We’ll also ask donors to help spread the word by inviting others and sharing event materials with their own communities.
Items can be dropped off at Ranfone Training Systems on the evening of Friday, November 13.
[Apply to Contribute to the Silent Auction]
Help Spread the Word
Sharing this page is another way to support the event. Send it to friends and family, pass it along at work, or share it with a neighborhood or community group.
Include the November 14 workout date and the November 20 food donation deadline so people know they can participate in more than one way. Someone who cannot attend the workout may still want to drop off groceries or make a donation.
Thank You to Our Community Partners
Thank you to ACES, the Ranfone Training Systems team for donating their time and facilities, and Whitney Donut & Sandwich Shop for providing coffee and treats.
We’re grateful to every donor, local business, coach, and participant helping make this morning possible.
Join us on Saturday, November 14, workout starting at 8:00 a.m. at Ranfone Training Systems. Bring $10 and a food item, invite someone to share the morning with you, and help us make Hamden stronger, together.
