OXFORD, Conn. — In the two short days since Sunday’s heavy flooding drenched much of the Naugatuck Valley and surrounding areas, people from all over have banded together to offer help.
Oxford is a community that’s been immensely impacted by severe flooding, with roadways crumbled, homes and businesses destroyed and even lives lost.
But through the tragedy, people are uniting. On Tuesday night, Branford-based Urban Taqo Company joined with a friend from Stormy’s in Shelton to offer free meals to first responders and anyone impacted by the floods.
RELATED: Single Oxford mother loses entire home during historic storm
Jose Taverner, an SRO Patrolmen with the Town of Oxford, was among first responders who came to the Quarry Walk in Oxford to enjoy a taco dinner.
“This town always comes together. The people are phenomenal; this is a wonderful town,” said Taverner.
Omar Jimenez is a co-owner of the Urban Taqo Company, who served as a Bridgeport Police officer for several years. His time in blue motivated him to take his taco truck down to Oxford to give out meals as a way to thank all the first responders who have been working around the clock since the initial flooding.
“We’re here until we run out of food,” said Jimenez.
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The take-out option quickly turned into delivery service after one resident notified them that there were 10 families stranded on one town street who were in need of a hot meal.
Neighbors and Urban Taqo staff traveled off the beaten path to offer assistance.
Thanks to some help from town workers that laid gravel down this nearly un-drivable pathway, residents who had been cooped up in their homes since Sunday got some fresh, hot tacos.
“Everybody stood up for us. It’s fantastic,” said Jason Gadsky, a resident of East Hill Road in Oxford.
“The support we’ve gotten is unbelievable,” added Christine Tuskowski, another East Hill Road resident.
Her husband, David Tuskowski told FOX61, “The outpouring of support is top rate, first class.”
Gadsky agreed and said, “It really is and we want to get out and go help other people!”
RELATED: Oxford businesses and residents begin clean-up from devastating weekend flood
“People just really unite. Uniting, there’s always strength in numbers, and I think we have a lot of strength here in Oxford as well as in the valley. When something’s wrong, we all come up and come forward and do what needs to be done,” said Taverner.
There are several other community events planned to help people in need this week in Oxford. Free meals will be handed out at the Quarry Walk on Wednesday.
A first-responder recognition ceremony is scheduled for 6 p.m. on the green at the Quarry Walk on Thursday.
A community expo offering expert advice and support from insurers, contractors and more is taking place Saturday at 9 a.m. also on the green at the Quarry Walk.
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Kaelee Collins is a multimedia journalist for FOX61 News. She can be reached at kcollins@fox61.com. Follow her on X, and Instagram.
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