NORTHBOROUGH – After pivoting to curbside meals during the COVID-19 pandemic, Community Meals will again be served in-person.
Starting on Dec. 6, Community Meals will be held inside Trinity Church at 6 p.m.
“The patrons of Community Meals are very excited to go inside because where the curbside pickup gave them a meal, now they’ll be able to go inside and have fellowship – that’s what they really want,” said organizer Martha Michalewich.
For years, the Community Meals were served at Trinity Church, and people from different churches and civic organizations took turns preparing and serving the meal.
“The whole purpose of it from the very beginning was food for the needy and fellowship,” said Jane O’Toole.
After the COVID-19 pandemic hit and shut everything down, one of the directors of the Northborough Food Pantry heard that people missed the meals. Community Meals organizers pivoted and began offering the curbside meals in June of 2020. They reached out to local restaurants and asked if they could make a packaged meal for $5.
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Demand for the meals continued after the curbside meals began. In spring of 2022, organizers were distributing between 125 and 130 meals.
“Every week they’ve gotten a boxed meal. This way, they’ll have pretty much home-cooked meals that will be served to them,” said Michalewich of the change to in-person meals.
Community Meals wants to specifically thank Hillside Grill, Sir Loin, Pickle Haus, Northborough House of Pizza, Mooyah, Monti’s Pizza Plus, Stevie’s Café, Buffet Way, Lowe’s, Wegmans and Assabet Culinary for their support in addition to other community groups.
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Michalewich said Community Meals was looking forward to returning to their original venue. As part of the in-person meals, there will be no grab and go meals.
“The people I’ve been talking to in the cars – they’re very excited to come back inside,” she said.
Community Meals is looking for local organizations, churches and groups who may be interested in volunteering for a meal. Groups should reach out to O’Toole at 508-365-8467 or emailing [email protected].
Please reach out to O’Toole if you are interested learning other ways to support the program.
