Serve New England Offers Co-op Food Buying For Volunteerism

Former members of the student Rotary Interact Club at Lisbon High School are involved with a new community service project, Serve New England. The new Serve New England Lisbon chapter has taken the place of the Topsham chapter which announced at the end of last year it was not longer going to be in operation. Since a number of Lisbon volunteers took advantage of the food packages available through the Topsham program, Lisa Brown, LHS interact advisor and Monica Milhime, Community Resource Coordinator for the Lisbon School Department thought it was a good project for LHS's former Interact members.

Serve New England is a food co-op service serving the New England area with over 350 locations. Anyone who volunteers two hours a month, regardless of income or age can order. According to the Serve New England website, "Serve defines volunteer service as anything you do for someone else, outside of your immediate family, without pay. You decide how you want to serve in your community. If you are already volunteering, then you’re already doing your part, and there’s no need to do extra for Serve. Some examples of volunteer service include:

• Giving an elderly or handicapped neighbor a ride to the doctor’s office;
• Watching a neighbor’s kids while she works;
• Driving the soccer team to its away games;
• Helping out at your local food pantry;
• Coaching the varsity basketball team at your kid’s school; and
• Being a Girl Scout leader."

Many people do not realize that Serve community service can be split into increments or divided among family members. There is no need to feel that you must do two hours all at once. Also, think of the community service as two hours per family. Do you have a family member or close friend who may be willing to split the community service and food package with you? You can even do the two hours of volunteer work yourself, then purchase as many Serve Food Package Gift Certificates as you like during any given month and either give the Gift Certificates to someone yourself or have one of Serve’s chapter coordinators donate it to a person or family that is in need.

An example of what's available through the program is the Family Meal Package for February, which icludes Oriental Pork Strips - (1 lb.), Beef Stew (1 lb), Vegetable Chicken Pot Pie (26 oz.), Precooked Breaded Tilapia (1 lb.), Potatoes - 5 lb. bag, Onions - 2 lb. bag, Carrots - 1 lb. bag, Sweet Potatoes 2 lb. Bag, Apples (4), Bananas (5), Peaches (4), and Chicken of the Sea Chunk White Tuna Cups (4 cups total) 2.8 oz each (2 packs of 2) for $25.00. They also offer meat-only packages.

Quoting the the Serve new England website, "Our food is offered in 2 pre-selected packages and 2 monthly meat specials. The Family Meal Plan is designed to prepare 4 meals for a family of 4. The Meat Only package is extra portions of the same meats offered in the Family Meal Plan for those who either want to take advantage of stocking up on favorites or need extra portions to feed their family."

The next on-site order date will be from 8 to 9 a.m. Saturday, February 28, at the MTM Center where orders placed in February can be picked up and orders submitted for March. You can also visit http://www.servenewengland.org/ to place an online order by March 16. When you use the online option, use the Lisbon chapter identification number 9261. Both on-site and online orders will be available for pick-up at the March 20 on-site event.

Fore more information, contact Lisa Brown at 353-4132 or e-mail lbrown@union30.org