Harpswell Aging at Home Delivers!
HAH’s Meals in a Pinch (MIP) program brings together the generosity of our community to provide home cooked meals to some of our neighbors because everybody needs a hand every now and then. Whether an ongoing need or temporary support, HAH’s MIP team delivers!
Meals in a Pinch runs every other Tuesday and provides a combination of four fresh and frozen meals to some of our Harpswell neighbors for a variety of reasons. Some are not able to consistently prepare meals because of health, ability, or mobility; others have difficulty obtaining food for practical or financial reasons. There is no income qualification–only a recognition that we all need some support at times. Emergency meals can even be provided on the same day if necessary.
Receive Meals in a Pinch
Interested in learning more about how to receive meals through our MIP program, either ongoing or temporarily, reach out to Julie Moulton at 207-330-5416 or email her at [email protected].
Cook for Meals in a Pinch
Interested in volunteering to join our merry band of cooks – here’s how it works:
- Cook regularly (every two weeks) or now and then.
- Make dishes that have broad appeal. They don’t have to be gourmet or fancy.
- You only have to make part of a meal, like a soup, biscuits, dessert, a vegetable, or a protein.
- HAH can cover your ingredient costs.
- Need a way to get your food to the program? We can pick it up from you.
If you decide to volunteer – here’s a bit more detail on what to expect.
Sign up to cook for Meals in a Pinch using Sign-Up Genius or contact Julie Moulton directly at [email protected] or by text or call 207-330-5416.
While every other Tuesday is THE day that more than 200 meals are delivered to nearly 50 homes, the HAH volunteers who work this magic are in constant motion. Here’s a Snapshot of how it all comes together.
First Things First
- Cooks from every corner of Harpswell sign up online logging the dish they will prepare providing a list of all ingredients.
- Labels listing ingredients are created for each and every dish.
- Promised contributions are monitored to ensure the week’s volume and special dietary requirements will be met.
- If tweaks are needed, food from HAH’s food freezers is utilized to supplement the week’s volunteer offerings.
Prepping Preparation
- Packing supplies are assembled.
- The work site at Great Island Church of the Nazarene is readied for action!
Always Something New
- The recipient list is in constant flux. Calls to “regulars” or new recipients are made to understand food preferences as needed.
- Drivers and packers are contacted to ensure all staffing needs will be covered.
- Delivery routes are organized and shared with drivers.
Monday – One Day to Go
- Volunteers, in kitchens all over Harpswell, begin cooking their MIP contribution.
- Food from MCHPP is picked up and delivered to the Nazarene Church.
- Some of this food gets cooked for Tuesday, some is given to volunteers for later use.
Tuesday – This is it
- Packers head out, some picking up donations on their way and head to ground zero.
- Informational flyers, drawings from children or thoughtful notes from other Harpswell volunteers placed in delivery bags.
- Food is joyfully accepted as cooks drop off their offerings.
- Meals are labeled to ensure awareness of dietary needs.
- The packers function as a well-oiled machine, working efficiently… and with great camaraderie.
- Food from freezers is arranged in coolers. Each recipient will receive two fresh and two frozen meals.
- Packers pack up the personalized bags – noting recipient specific needs or preferences.
- Drivers arrive, cars are loaded and off they go.
- Smiles and hellos abound as friends deliver meals to friends.
- The remaining food is inventoried and placed in one of HAH’s three freezers for future/emergency use.
- Recycling, composting and trash is delivered to the recycling center.
- Operations site is scrubbed clean.
And then – it starts all over again!
This is community at it’s best!
![Harpswell Aging at Home volunteer Cheryl Dunning packs bags of food for delivery to Meals in a Pinch recipients.](https://hah.community/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Harpswell-Aging-scaled-1-edited.webp)
![This is a picture of what seven cooks made in an afternoon: 38 servings of haddock chowder, 24 servings of turkey chili, and four pans of stuffed cabbage roll casserole. We were delighted to have two new cooks with us and use the new kitchen on the base.](https://hah.community/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/mchpp-food.jpg)
![HAH Volunteers sharing Vegetarian Soup](https://hah.community/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/IMG_5390-768x1024.jpeg)