Our Q4, 2022 Grants for Good recipient, the Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program (MCHPP), is a nonprofit in Brunswick, ME. As the largest hunger relief and prevention agency in the midcoastal region, MCHPP provides healthy, nutritious food to their community members in need. Since serving their first meal in 1983, MCHPP has grown to match the needs of local families experiencing food insecurity and now operates a soup kitchen, food bank, food pantry, and mobile, school, and satellite pantries across the community.

Through the Grants for Good program, Apex Systems consultants can nominate a nonprofit organization of their choice to receive a donation from Apex. Donna S., Apex consultant and senior-level project manager, nominated MCHPP and took some time to share what the organization means to her and discuss her background in food insecurity volunteerism.

How did you get involved in volunteerism?

“I had a group of friends when I lived in Massachusetts, and for about 25 years we prepared and served meals for one of the Pine Street homeless shelters in Dorchester. And we became familiar with the whole concept of food insecurity. I ended up being the coordinator, if you will, so I maintained the menus, I made sure everyone knew what their assignments were, who I was going to serve, and things like that. My background as a project manager pretty much lends itself to organizing these kinds of things.”

How did you discover this nonprofit?

“I have a pretty extensive background with not only feeding the homeless but also just the whole concept of nonprofits that are focused on food and food insecurities, food programs, and things like that. So when I moved to Brunswick, Maine in 2018, one of the things I sought out was what kind of opportunities I would have to volunteer at something I was familiar with so I could leverage that experience. And I came across the Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program. It’s going to be a good opportunity for me. Because of COVID, they’ve just started to open up volunteer opportunities again. I'm really looking forward to that. As a matter of fact, they are pretty excited about giving me a tour of their new food pantry. I’m going to take them up on that in a couple of weeks.”

How does Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program serve its community?

“They have food banks. They also have mobile pantries. They have a summer food program to make sure that children who don’t have access to school lunches during the summer have food. They do that in various locations. They’ve got the food bank, the food pantry, satellite pantries for people who are homebound or can’t get out. They do deliver too, and they also have a soup kitchen, they prepare lunches six times a week, and they have school pantries for the weekend.”

To learn more, volunteer, or donate to The Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program visit their website and connect with them on social media: Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Listen to our live interview with Donna here.

About the Grants for Good Program

Since its inception, the Grants for Good program has offered a way for our consultants to turn their volunteerism into something more. Participation in the program allows consultants and clients to be involved in a crucial part of our culture while making a difference in their community. If you are an Apex consultant with a nonprofit you’d like to nominate or if you want to learn more about how Apex gives back, visit our Grants for Good program page.