The recently established Community Meals To Go program will begin distribution on Tuesday, Feb. 2.
The program, which is partnering with five local restaurants to provide cold or frozen meals to area residents in need due to the coronavirus pandemic, began fundraising two weeks ago and as of Monday has more than $35,000 to start the program set for 16 weeks of distribution. Aesop’s Tables, Brady’s American Grill, Cooper’s Hill Public House, Grappelli’s Pizza and Nonie’s are the participating restaurants and will be paid $10 per meal through the program that is designed to not only feed individuals and families in need, but also restaurants struggling during the time of COVID-19.
Distribution, which is on a first-come, first-serve basis, will be held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 5 to 6 p.m. in the South Meadow School (Peterborough) upper parking lot. To start, Karen Hatcher, community and economic development coordinator for the town of Peterborough, said, there will be 125 meals available each of the two nights during the first week, along with 25 gift certificates to Grappelli’s. Starting in week two, there will be 150 meals available each distribution night along with the 25 gift certificates. Hatcher said if there is enough expressed need and the financial backing to do it, there is a chance a third night could be added.
The goal was to raise $50,000 to fund the program for 16 weeks and Hatcher said the response thus far, shows there is strong support. The program received a $10,000 gift from the Grand Monadnock Rotary and a $5,000 grant from the NH Charitable Foundation during the first of fundraising. Last week, Community Meals To Go was chosen as the 100+ Women Who Care Monadnock’s quarterly recipient.
“We’re hoping we’ll get to $50,000 pretty quickly,” Hatcher said, adding she will look into the latest COVID-19 relief package to see if there is a possibility some of those funds could be earmarked for the program.
Being chosen as the 100+ Women Who Care Monadnock recipient last week has added more than $11,000 to the funding.
“Being selected as the charity by 100+ Women Who Care Monadnock, that was just really exciting,” Hatcher said. “That really is a big boost.”
During distribution times, people are asked to stay in their vehicles and will be greeted by a volunteer. Masks are required by everyone in each vehicle. In the event there are meals left over, they will be given to the South Meadow School food pantry for distribution to families in the ConVal School District, as well as local partners who have identified families that may not have the ability to make one of the distribution nights.
“We know there are families that need these meals and we don’t want to miss the families who really need them,” Hatcher said. “And each family situation is different.”
There is no registration or verification needed for the program. Those who need a meal just need to show up the night of the distribution between 5 and 6 p.m.
For more information, contact Hatcher at community@peterboroughnh.gov or 924-8000 ext. 106. To donate, visit https://donorbox.org/peterborough-community-meals-to-go or send funds to Cornucopia Project, the fiscal agent for the program, at 49 Vose Farm Road, Suite 110, Peterborough, NH 03458 with community meals in the subject line.