1600 meals and counting!

My how time flies when you’re having fun! That’s what the volunteers at Everybody Eats! were thinking as they set up to serve their 23rd weekly free community meal this past Monday.
The group, which is made up entirely of volunteers, prepares and serves a homemade, healthful meal free of charge each Monday at St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church.

Their first meal was served on June 8th of this year and while attendance was initially sparse, it has grown considerably. To date, Everybody Eats! has served over 1600 individual meals to people from almost every town on Hancock County, and many from Knox and Washington Counties and beyond.
Everybody Eats! has utilized close to 40 volunteers who over the course of the last few months have logged nearly 870 hours preparing and serving the meals.

The meals are made possible by donations of food, services and money by local businesses and individuals in Ellsworth and the surrounding area. Recent sponsors include Rev. Jerry Stone, Finelli Pizza, Friends & Family Market, Loaves & Fishes, Maine Shellfish, Nostrano, What’s for Suppa? Food Pantry, and The Black House Community Garden.

As colder weather- and thus higher fuel bills- approaches, Everybody Eats! anticipates the need for a supplemental food source will increase dramatically as people struggle with the choice of heating their homes or buying food. The group plans to respond to this need by increasing the amount of food it prepares, but they too struggle with limited resources and encourage any and all individuals or businesses who wish to make a donation to contact Julia Ventresco, 207.667.4472 or email julia@onewomanstudio.com.

Volunteers are needed as well, and can be scheduled by calling Marian Wells, 207.667.6206 or email sagegirlmsw@aol.com.