You can make a difference! On a recent evening I saw three people in a parking lot with lots of boxes packed in their cars and a small table set up. The handmade sign pulled me right over: “Free Meals.” I was greeted by a welcoming woman and one question: “How many do you need?” That was it. No judgment, no questions. Just a smiling face and warm human contact, offering me as many meals as I needed. I had stopped to give a donation and was so touched by what I was seeing and feeling that I had to learn more.

Caring people at Alfond Community Center felt they needed to do something necessary in this challenging time: feeding families. An $11,000 anonymous donation was matched by another anonymous donation for $14,000. Schools provide breakfast and lunch to children in need, even when closed, but this program provides an evening meal to any one who needs it.

Run by volunteers and donations, this program provides 1,000 meals per week. If you can donate, please send a check right now to: Alfond Youth and Community Center, 126 North Street, Waterville, ME, 04901. If you can volunteer a couple of hours, contact Crystal at Clavenson@clubaycc.org, or 873-0684.

Meals are distributed from 4:30-5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at a number of locations in the area. Go to www.clubaycc.org/feeding-families for more information.

Please give whatever and however you can. You will feel hope and will know you have done something to make a very big difference in somebody’s life. If not now, when?

Elizabeth Luckraft

Smithfield