Midcoast Maine Community Action is providing a meal program to serve children who are experiencing food insecurity at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Anyone under the age of 19 living in northern Cumberland, Sagadahoc or Lincoln County may benefit.

Children do not have to be enrolled in Head Start to be a recipient of this program.

“As we move through this challenging time, we will continue to work so that families in our communities have what they need to ensure the well-being of their children,” said Claire Berkowitz, community action president/CEO, in a news release. “And we will do this work using protocols to ensure the health and safety of our staff and children and families we serve.”

Meals are provided through the USDA’s Summer Food Service Program and include grab-and-go style bags consisting of seven lunches and seven snacks for every child in a household. The program does not extend to adults.

The pick-up days/times are as follows:

Wednesdays: 2-4 p.m., Bath Head Start Center, 34 Wing Farm Parkway, Bath

Thursdays: 10 a.m. to noon, Pejepscot Head Start Center, 4 Pejepscot Village, Main Street, Topsham; 2-4 p.m., Salt Bay Area Head Start Center, 5 Sheepscot Road, Newcastle; 2-4 p.m., Friendship Street Head Start Center School, Friendship St., Waldoboro

Fridays: 10 a.m. to noon, Brunswick Head Start Center, 35A Gurnet Road, Brunswick

For Head Start families, pick-up may include extras such as produce, school supplies, toiletries, and special requests. Meal sites will be open during school vacation week, April 20-24.

Since meal funding comes from the same federal nutrition programs providing meals at public schools and YMCAs, families cannot “double-dip” and receive lunches from more than one location. However, since Midcoast Maine Community Action is not providing breakfasts, those meals can be obtained from those other sites.

For food delivery, contact Head Start offices at (207) 442-7963 and those services may be coordinated if volunteers are available.

During food distribution, staff will be practicing health and safety protocols that include maintaining a six-foot social distance, frequent hand-washing, and increased sanitation measures, according to the release.