Each month, Harpswell Aging at Home’s Meals in a Pinch program delivers approximately 400 meals to residents of Harpswell, many of them made in volunteers’ homes. HAH’s newest program, Cooking for Friends, enables participants to prepare meals in a commercial kitchen while making new friends.
“When we started in 2018, we delivered to about 10 residents,” said Julie Moulton, HAH’s operations and food team assistant. Since then, the number of Meals in a Pinch recipients has grown significantly.
Twice a month, two fresh and two frozen meals are delivered to 45-50 older residents to help meet their nutritional needs. Depending on dietary restrictions and personal preferences, meals may include soup, an entree, vegetables, breads and pastries. In addition to older residents, meals are available to those who may need assistance on a temporary or emergency basis because of injury or hospitalization, among other reasons.
Last fall, the Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program opened a commercial kitchen in its new facility on Brunswick Landing. The kitchen is available for rent to the community. As a nonprofit, HAH qualifies for a discount. Rental includes use of the kitchen, dry storage, and a shelf in the facility’s freezer, thereby eliminating the need to transport food and supplies back and forth.
“HAH has been a longtime partner and has proven to be a successful organization which aligns with the mission of MCHPP,” said Brie Nicolaou, community kitchen coordinator for the Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program. “It’s a win-win for both of us.”