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Harpswell fisheries committee organizes seafood donations to feed older residents and families
Summary
Committee members agreed to a coordinated signup system and a single point person to collect donated seafood for Meals in a Pinch and other local distributions; volunteers and the Mid Coast community kitchen will handle cooking and packaging.
The Harpswell Fisheries Committee agreed to coordinate donated seafood to support local feeding programs, resolving logistics for pickup, storage and volunteer cooking ahead of holiday distributions.
Julie Molton of Harpswell Aging at Home described current capacity and procedures for the group that partners with Meals in a Pinch: “We rent the Mid Coast community kitchen ... there's eight cooks that generally we turn out about 80 meals in three hours,” she said, and noted the program typically serves about “55 up to 65” regular recipients with occasional larger distributions.
Committee members discussed practical differences among catch types — live lobsters, shucked scallops and oysters, filleted fish — and how those affect storage and timing. They agreed a centralized signup with clear pickup dates would reduce pressure on donors and spread donations across the town’s fisheries. Members named Katie as the point person to manage signups and communications and asked donors to contact her with available dates.
Volunteers will cook fresh donations at the Mid Coast community kitchen when needed; if donors prefer to deliver already‑prepared items, the committee agreed pickups could take place earlier in the week. The group emphasized keeping the process simple for fishermen and wharves and using existing volunteer networks to distribute food to Harpswell residents.
The committee also agreed to regular outreach — a monthly item in the town newsletter and a notice to local press — to publicize donation dates and volunteer needs. Julie Molton committed to provide a schedule of dates for next year and to coordinate with the cooking group and distribution volunteers.
The committee closed the discussion by praising community support for the effort and agreeing to keep the topic as an ongoing agenda item until processes are routine.
