Compassion and sympathy are everyday words. They are the words we use to describe how we feel for another who is stricken by misfortune. We have a deep awareness of the suffering of another accompanied by the desire to help. Showing kindness, caring and a willingness to help others is showing compassion.
Those serving with Saco Meals program have compassionate hearts. Through their work, they increase the kindness in the world by giving the best they have. They believe in the goodness of our world.
The mission of the program is to feed the hungry and needy in our area. The program surrounds folks with comfort, nourishment and care.
The Saco Meals Program began 27 years ago; started by a group of Most Holy Trinity Parish Volunteers. The program operates from the Most Holy Trinity Church Hall in Good Shepherd Parish. The parish generously provides the hall and kitchen for their meals.
Free dinners are offered twice a week, on Monday and Thursday. Their guests include individuals as well as families with children. They generally feed between 65 and 80 guests at each meal.
The program also offers a giving table containing fruits, vegetables and bakery goods donated by various supermarkets, wholesalers and farmers in our area. Each guest has the opportunity to select items from the table to take home to provide additional meals during the week.
The program has a wonderful group of dedicated volunteers who help set up the hall each Monday and Thursday as well as cook, serve the food and clean up after the meal. Other volunteers pick up food from various locations. The program is also very fortunate to have several generous businesses, private organizations, nonprofits and individuals that fund and support it.
The group is sharing this information because the meal program is in jeopardy of closing its Thursday evening meal due to the departure of its Thursday evening meal coordinators, Renee and Bob Morin. Renee and Bob have served so well in that capacity for several years, dedicating their time and talents and helping the program grow into what it is today. They will be very much missed.
A decision was made at the program’s board of directors meeting to add a program manager position to oversee both the crews, in addition to the Monday and Thursday meal coordinators. The manager will be compensated with a stipend due to the responsibilities and possible on-call duties.
We are asked to pray for the program to continue to grow and that these positions be filled to continue to serve the less fortunate in our community.
For more information, contact: Doug Ellis at 229- 8125, Jackie Fontaine at 756- 4570 or Jan Hryniewicz at 710-1633.
— Zaffie Hadiaris of Saco is the host of “Zaffie,” a weekly television talk show on Channel 3 Biddeford public access. It can also be seen at biddefordmaine.org. Contact Zaffie at zhadiaris@hotmail.com.
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