NORTHAMPTON — Community kitchens are preparing to serve hundreds of meals on Christmas day, with volunteers hard at work to feed anyone wishing to sit down and enjoy a meal with others.
At Edwards Church in Northampton, volunteers affiliated with Manna Soup Kitchen are cooking servings of broccoli and cauliflower cheese casserole, with a brisket meal being prepared at the nearby St. John’s Episcopal Church, also affiliated with Manna. The meal prepping is for a dinner that will be held at Edwards Church from 12-2 p.m. on Sunday.
Kim Carlino, who serves as a holiday coordinator for Manna, said that over 100 volunteers have helped out for the day, where they expect to serve over 200 people in person and deliver meals to 500 others. Volunteers help in a variety of causes, from cooking food to helping deliver meals.
“People just show up every year asking how to help,” Carlino said. “For them [the volunteers], it’s how they celebrate the holidays.”
Like Manna’s previous community dinner held on Thanksgiving, this event marks the first in-person event for Christmas since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Food for the meals was purchased via donations from supporters of the community kitchen. The kitchen had partnered with Smith’s Chase-Duckett Dining Hall to obtain the space needed to serve meals on Thanksgiving, but was able to use its own kitchen space for its Christmas meal prep.
In addition to brisket and casserole, other foods served include green beans, apple-cranberry coleslaw, and Texas-style sheetcake, with cider and coffee served for drinks. Volunteers have also donated bags to be given out which contain items like soup and toiletries. The serving area at Edwards Church is planned to be decorated for the holiday feast, and waitstaff will also be on hand to serve those attending.
“We really try to create a space where people can come in and feel special,” Carlino said. “They get this whole dining experience.”
For Amherst residents looking for a meal on Christmas, they can head to the First Congregational Church at 165 Main St for a community dinner provided by the organization No Bread Alone. The event is open to the public, and guests will be served meals of turkey, ham, stuffing and gravy among a variety of other dishes.
Those wishing to attend the dinner in Amherst should enter the church through the back side, located off Spring Street. The dinner will begin at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Alexander MacDougall can be reached at amacdougall@gazettenet.com.
