Melrose FUMC Community Freezer News!

Our church has been faithfully supporting the Melrose Community Freezer for the past few months, by preparing meals, placing them in to-go containers, and making them available to those in need. The project is now at the level of sustainability where it can be publicized more broadly to our community, letting people know that our church is a place where they can come for emergency food assistance. The Food Drive has recently issued a press release to this effect.

What does this mean? All of the information below is still true, AND we need continued commitment to meal making. A steady supply of meals is what keeps the Freezer in operation. When individuals in need call the church, we want to make sure they can immediately access meals.

So, thank you for your participation in this project, and keep up the good work! It truly makes a difference!

The Food Drive is partnering with our church to operate a Community Freezer in our church basement. It is already providing meals for individuals and families in need in our community, and we are hoping to increase participation so that we can help even more people. The full updated guidelines are posted on the bulletin boards at church, and are also available by contacting the church office.

If you have any questions, please contact Jana Gimenez at fooddrivemelrose@gmail.com. Meals can be dropped off during church office hours, on Sunday mornings, or by making an arrangement with Jana.

You may also use this SignUp Genius link to commit to contributing a meal.

To make this even easier, we have plastic to-go containers available both in the kitchen downstairs (next to the freezer) and in the narthex.We currently have 12-ounce containers and have also ordered some larger containers. You can also use your own, as long as they are not aluminum (unless for a family-size meal that will be reheated in the oven) or styrofoam. No Ziploc bags please.

DETAILS FOR MEAL PREPARERS

1)     COOK a meal to donate, double your dinner recipe for donation, or save leftover dinner portions. Every meal matters. Again, please make sure the meal is healthy and complete.

2)     PACKAGE individual meal portions in single-serve containers that are microwave-reheatable. Takeout containers are ideal, so reuse yours or use the containers provided in the church kitchen. Family-size meals should be packaged.  in aluminum containers for the oven. 

Please note that we are not able to accept styrofoam, aluminum, or Ziplocs. 

3)     LABEL each container with meal description, dietary details, the date, and your name.

4)     DELIVER to the freezer. Please note that contents vary daily but we will make sure there is space for meals. And if contents are low, don’t be concerned, that means we just distributed!

5)     LOG your donation on the clipboard on top of the freezer with your entrée name, quantity, donor name, and delivery date.