In our efforts to continue offering innovative solutions to food insecurity, Midcoast Hunger Prevention Program is excited that our Direct-to-Door Delivery model now includes two programs.
The existing Pantry to Pantry (P2P) program, offering free grocery deliveries for seniors or medically homebound community members and now Neighborhood Deliveries, too! We initially began these deliveries in April 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After a successful pilot in which nearly 50 families a week at Brunswick’s Bay Bridge Estates Mobile Home Park and Perryman Village receive groceries, we are excited to expand further.
All residents, both individuals and families, of the neighborhoods we currently serve are eligible for deliveries. Families residing in other Brunswick neighborhoods that believe they would benefit from this service are encouraged to reach out! MCHPP’s Youth Services Associate, Brie Nicolaou, can be reached at bnicolaou@mchpp.org or (207) 725-2716 x314. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, eligibility requirements and government income limits have been loosened.
For participating families, various groceries — including a box of dry goods, meat, eggs, bread and fresh produce — are delivered biweekly right to the household’s doorstep. In May, we began offering personalized boxes in an effort to respect families’ desire for choice and to limit food waste. We want to ensure residents are getting food items they want, need, and will eat. More than one fifth of those in the program have chosen to personalize their box, a number consistently on the rise.
Dedicated volunteers prepare and pack groceries every week, then others assist with driving and distributing boxes to the neighborhoods. Neighborhood Deliveries have allowed us to safely reach and feed households in need throughout the pandemic. Deliveries have been very successful and MCHPP will continue operating this program beyond the pandemic.
Those who have limited access to time, transportation, childcare, and who cannot come to our building for the Soup Kitchen or Food Pantry benefit strongly from this service. We are eager to expand programming to more neighborhoods in our service area in the coming months.
Neighborhood Deliveries are not possible without the help of committed volunteers, many of whom contributed throughout the challenges of COVID-19. As we expand, we are in need of additional community volunteers to make our large Wednesday afternoon delivery.
This opportunity begins in early September and requires a clean driving record, the ability to lift and carry multiple 30-pound boxes during a shift, and a passion for helping our community.
Giving Voice is a weekly collaboration among four local non-profit service agencies to share information and stories about their work in the community. Brie Nicolaou is Youth Services Associate for Midcoast Hunger Prevention Program.
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