Midcoast Maine Community Action (MMCA) is providing a meal program to serve children who are experiencing food insecurity at home during this difficult time. Any child under the age of 19 living in northern Cumberland, Sagadahoc or Lincoln County may benefit. Children do not have to be enrolled in Head Start to be a recipient of this program. Unfortunately, due to the nature of this program, we cannot provide meals to adults.
“As we move through this challenging time, we will continue to work so that families in our communities have what they need to ensure the well-being of their children,” said Claire Berkowitz, MMCA President/CEO. “And we will do this work using protocols to ensure the health and safety of our staff and children and families we serve.”
MMCA’s meals are provided through the USDA’s Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and include “Grab & Go” style bags consisting of seven lunches and seven snacks for every child under age 19 in a household. The pick-up days/times are as follows for the MMCA meal program:
Wednesdays
2-4 PM: Bath Head Start Center located at 34 Wing Farm Parkway, Bath
Thursdays
10-noon: Pejepscot Head Start Center located at 14 Pejepscot Village, Main Street, Topsham
2-4 PM: Salt Bay Area Head Start Center located at 5 Sheepscot Road, Newcastle
2-4 PM: Friendship Street Head Start Center School located at 129 Friendship Street, Waldoboro
Fridays
10-noon: Brunswick Head Start Center located at 35A Gurnet Road, Brunswick
For MMCA’s Head Start families, pick-up will include extras such as produce, school supplies, toiletries, and special requests. MMCA’s meal sites will be open during school vacation week (April 20-24).
Since meal funding comes from the same federal nutrition programs providing meals at public schools and YMCAs, families cannot “double dip” and receive lunches from more than one location. However, since MMCA is not providing breakfasts, those meals can be obtained from those other sites.
If a family requires food delivery, please contact Head Start offices at 207-442-7963 and those services may be coordinated if volunteers are available.
During food distribution, MMCA staff will be practicing health and safety protocols that include maintaining a six foot social distance, frequent hand-washing, and increased sanitation measures.