NORTHAMPTON – Pork loin, mashed potatoes and vegetables will be on the plates for the Christmas Day meal served at the Edwards Church of Northampton at 297 Main St.
Beginning at noon Wednesday, guests will be served for an hour by volunteers for the MANNA Soup Kitchen.
In Amherst at the First Congregational Church, 165 Main St., a Christmas meal with turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, stuffing, vegetables and vegan options will be ready at 1 p.m.
At both sites, putting on the meal is about continuing a tradition of making sure people have a place to eat and socialize on the holiday.
Claire Troiano, who organizes volunteers for MANNA, said about 75 will be on hand Christmas handling a variety of tasks, from meal preparation to serving and cleanup. Another 15 help on Monday and Tuesday to make the food. Virtually all of the volunteer slots have already been filled well in advance.
But there is an opportunity to bring meals to the homebound in Northampton and surrounding communities. These meals can be ordered by calling 413-695-3514 between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. through Monday.
Volunteers who are delivering do not need to sign up but rather can just come in the State Street side door of Edwards Church at 9:45 a.m. on Christmas Day to pick up a delivery. Close to 1,000 meals will be served that day.
While there will be no home deliveries in Amherst, Not Bread Alone program supervisor Bob Stover said the site will open doors that morning and coffee, beverages and snacks will be available.
Both meal programs will also have regular meals available before and after the holiday: MANNA on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at 11:30 a.m. at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 48 Elm St., and Dec. 28 at 11:30 a.m. at Edwards Church.
Not Bread Alone has noontime meals Saturday and Sunday, and again Dec. 28 and 29, which supplement those put on at the Amherst Survival Center.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
