Stew Leonard was joined yesterday by state officials to announce first responder express lines for police, fire fighters, nurses, and health care workers.  Also on hand for the announcement were  local food pantries that are in crisis.  Food Pantries across the State have been closing and being reduced due to the high demand of local residents from the coronavirus. Stew Leonard’s will be donating over 40,000 pounds of groceries to those in need.   Leonard was joined by senator Richard Blumenthal for a discussion about a “Heroes Fund,” proposal that Senate Democrats announced last week, which calls for a $25,000 pay increase for all essential employees putting themselves on the front line. Grocery workers are interacting with hundreds-of-thousands of people each day, in providing produce, dairy, food items, and paper goods to the general public as they restock essential items during quarantine and social distancing.