Community Gourmet Website

Making Food Insecurities a thing of the past,

one Care Package

at a Time

CLICK HERE TO DONATE

FOOD TO A NEIGHBOR IN NEED

WHO WE ARE

SINCE 2022

The Community Gourmet is a grassroots effort to address food insecurity in Southern Maine. Our mission is nourishing, teaching and caring. We provide food care packages to our neighbors struggling with food insecurity. In addition to providing food care packages, we go one step further with our recipe kits to provide hope, inspiration and opportunity by teaching our neighbors how to create nutritious meals.

By making food available in an easily accessible and anonymous way, we are able to provide support to our neighbors and help diminish the devastating affects of hunger and the emotional toll of shame and helplessness. We give our neighbors the support they need to feel empowered and confident. Together, we can make a difference!

WHO WE HELP

NEIGHBORS WHO STRUGGLE

WITH FOOD INSECURTIES

SPECIAL PROGRAMS FOR

SENIORS AND CHILDREN

People donating groceries at food bank donation drive

INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES

WHO UTILIZE FOOD PANTRIES

EMERGENCY FOOD RELIEF

Police Officer, fire-fighter and sheriff, (Portrait)

OUR FOOD PACKAGES ARE ON-HAND

WITH EMERGENCY REPONDERS

TO GIVE TO OUR NEIGHBORS

24 HOURS A DAY - 7 DAYS A WEEK

WE PROVIDE EMERGENCY

FOOD AID FOR DISASTER RELIEF,

UNHOUSED AND TRANISENT

RESIDENTS AS NEEDED

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Donate today to help support the important

work we do to end hunger in Southern Maine

Donations can be made Online

via PayPal or Venmo

Venmo QR Code

PayPal QR Code

PayPal Link to

Donate Online

Checks Donations

Please mail your check donations to:

The Community Gourmet

P.O. Box 1258

Wells, ME 04090

(Checks made payable to The Community Gourmet)

Donate food for our care packages via

OUR AMAZON WISH LIST

Host a Food Drive for us, contact us to learn our most in-demand food items for our Care Packages.

*The Community Gourmet is an IRS 501(c)3 charity, so your donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

OUR FOUR FOOD PROGRAMS

COMFORT

CARE PACKAGES

DESIGNED WITH LOVE

MAKING SURE OUR SENIORS NEVER

FEEL ALONE OR FORGOTTEN

The Comfort Care Package is designed for our older adults and housebound individuals to ensure there is always a small meal or snack available and ready when they are. These are easy and safe to prepare non-perishable meals. Our packages contain, but are not limited to, soups, stews, tuna fish and chicken packets, oatmeal, protein shakes, breakfast bars and more. We focus on higher protein items. Each package also contains nostalgic items like shortbread, jams and teas. Our care packages contain note cards so that our seniors and housebound neighbors can enjoy writing hand written notes to help stay connected to their loved ones.

The Comfort Care Package can also be used for multiple other purposes including for disaster relief made available to our communities when needed.

MISSION FOR NUTRITION

CARE PACKAGES

FOOD ASSISTANCE FOR KIDS

SO THAT CHILDREN NEVER HAVE TO FACE HUNGER

Supporting our younger population with small meals and snacks that they can prepare safely themselves. Each package has a selection of nutritional items as well as 100% fruit juices and assorted snacks.

We offer classes on food preparation and teach basic cooking skills as well as food safety and sanitation. Our goal with education is to teach each student to become a better cook and make healthier choices for themselves and those around them.

*Our packages do not contain items with peanuts or tree nuts.

COMPASSION RELIEF

CARE PACKAGES

LENDING A HELPING HAND

TO OUR UNHOUSED AND TRANSIENT NEIGHBORS IN NEED

Our Compassion Relief Food Care Packages are designed specifically for our unhoused and transient neighbors in need. These care packages include foods that are ready to eat such as breakfast bars, granola bars, fruit snacks, peanut butter and crackers, and fruit juices etc.

*Our Compassion Relief Care Package can also be used for multiple other purposes including for disaster relief available to our communities when needed.

Person Pouring Cooking Oil in Frying Pan

SIGNATURE RECIPE KITS

OUR RECIPE KITS CONTAIN

HOPE, INSPIRATION AND OPPORTUNITY

Our recipe kits are the private lesson in your home to learn basic cooking skills. We supply our recipe kits at local Food Pantries.

Each recipe kit focuses on staple pantry items like pasta or rice and each kit gives three recipes, to take the same staple food items, and make three completely different meals.

We include the recipes, spices and a small kitchenware item like measuring cups and spoons, colanders and spatulas, etc. These recipes are designed to combine ingredients such as fresh vegetables available at the food pantry. Our recipe kits were made with love to bring hope, inspiration and opportunity.

OUR COMMUNITY IMPACT

💚 Since 2022

💚 We have provided over 6,400 meal packages for our neighbors who struggle with food insecurities. We have expanded our food assistance distribution by 206% since we began in 2022.

💚 Since January of 2024

💚 Over 1,000 of those packages were meal packages for our unhoused neighbors in need of food support.

💚 The total pounds of food for the 6,400 meal packages we donated is approximately 24,000 lbs.

💚 The total value of all our donated food care packages to date is $122,500.

💚 Our Care Packages are available at:

~ The Little Pantry, 25 Water St., Kennebunk (Chamber of Commerce) ~ York County Shelter, Food Pantry, 5 Swetts Rd., Alfred ~ The Senior Center (The Center) 175 Port Rd., Kennebunk Lower Village ~ COS Food Pantry, 19 Park St., Kennebunk ~ Saint Mary's Church, Food Pantry, 236 Eldridge Rd., Wells ~ Southern Maine Agency on Aging, 30 Barra Rd., Biddeford ~ McArthur Library, 270 Main St., Biddeford ~ General Assistance Offices of Arundel, Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, and Biddeford ~ Care Packages are on hand 24/7 with local Emergency Personnel. Our locations are growing every month, stay tuned!

NEED ASSISTANCE? CONTACT US

WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER, AND TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Please contact us today to learn the many ways you can access our care packages throughtout Southern Maine.

By Email at: TheCommunityGourmet@gmail.com

By Phone or Text: (207)-881-8788

The Community Gourmet on Facebook

MEET OUR FOUNDER

SHE BRINGS EXPERIENCE TO THE TABLE - MEET OUR FOUNDER, CHEF TRACI ANELLO

Traci Anello is the Founder and Executive Director of The Community Gourmet. Traci is passionate about giving back to our community. As a person who has experienced food insecurities in her childhood, she has empathy and compassion for those that are experiencing the devastating affects of hunger. Traci has dedicated her life to being an advocate and source of support for our neighbors in need. Traci’s professional career, as a local Chef, graced her with opportunities as the Pastry Chef at the Arrows Restaurant and other prestigious seaside resorts. Traci had the esteemed honor of creating President George Bush Sr.’s birthday cake for many years as well as being the personal Pastry Chef to John Travolta while on set filming his movie. Her catering includes many weddings, political events, community fundraisers and music artists. Traci created the Baking and Pastry program at the York County Community College to teach students the art of pastries. Her extensive training in hospital nutrition helps ensure that our care packages contain balanced foods for all ages and skill levels. Traci has experience as a first responder including years as a Volunteer Fire Fighter. She’s currently working on completing her book, “The Power in Food”, which shares her journey of the powerful stories people have shared about how food has influenced their lives. Traci was honored with the Daily Point of Light Award in September 2022, presented to her by Neil and Lauren Bush at Hidden Pond in Kennebunkport. This is a volunteer award created by President George Bush Sr. to honor the work of volunteers. Traci is honored to be on the Board of the Kennebunk Community Garden and The Chamber of Commerce. To quote Traci’s volunteers…”Traci’s passion and commitment to ensuring that we are ‘winning’ the battle against hunger is truly remarkable. Her unwavering faith, compassion and dedication to her work is so inspiring.”

THE COMMUNITY CARING KITCHEN

cooking show

LET’S TALK FOOD!

We have all been feeling the crunch on our wallets at the grocery store register! The rapidly rising grocery store prices are hurting families that are already struggling to make ends meet. We are working on filming a fun new show to help teach our community members learn how to cook healthy nutritious meals on a family-friendly budget! Stay tuned for some exciting new updates on our show that will be available to everyone to watch free of charge!

UPCOMING EVENTS

awards

Traci was presented with the Daily Point of Light Award in 2022 by Neil and Lauren Bush. The Daily Point of Light Award was created by President George Bush Sr. to recognize volunteers.