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Christmas Brunch at the Fire Station. South Portland Community of Kindness
Over the weekend, South Portland residents delivered Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas brunch to men and women from the South Portland Police Department, South Portland Fire Department, and the Regional Emergency Dispatch Department. On December 23rd, snack packs were also delivered to city bus drivers, transportation agencies and public works workers.
This effort was organized by the South Portland Community of Kindness Facebook group. This group is made up of South Portland residents who identify and support community needs. Outreach was also done through the South Portland Friends and Neighbors Facebook group. Volunteers used the Meal Train app to organize activities.
The Christmas Eve dinner menu includes lasagna, crispy chicken, lobster mac and cheese, meatballs, roasted potatoes, soup, stuffed turkey, gravy and cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, Italian bread stuffing, soufflé, and homemade rosemary. Includes breads, roasted vegetables, cookies, brownies, bars, pies and more.
Christmas Day brunch includes French toast, muffins, fruit salad, kugel, ham roast, cinnamon rolls, homemade granola and yogurt, bacon, biscuits and homemade jams, cream cheese bagels, quiches, coffee cakes, candies, juice, more.
“As a community, I think it’s important to show appreciation to the people who serve on behalf of our community, the fire service, the police service, the community outreach, etc. They drive the bus and work day and night. , we are committed to public works in all weathers,” said Sari Green, founder of the South Portland Community of Kindness.
On December 24, the meals were delivered to Portland’s South Portland Police Department, Central Fire Department, Western Avenue Fire Department, Cash Corner Fire Department, and Community Emergency Dispatch.
The brunch items were delivered to the Police Department, the Regional Dispatch Service, and the Cash Corner Fire Department, where the three departments meet for a meal on December 25th.
“It was amazing, really amazing. We had about 48 volunteers,” says Greene.
There are many ways South Portland residents can come together for their community. South Portland Community of Kindness SoPo Cooks! has cooked and delivered more than 1,600 of her meals to families and individuals affected by the pandemic. The South Portland Food Cupboard Brigade, also a Facebook group, delivered groceries from cupboards weekly to South Portland Housing Authority residents who did not have physical access to cupboards during the pandemic.
The South Portland Community of Kindness worked with the Rotary Club of South Portland/Cape Elizabeth and the South Portland School District to deliver new backpacks with school supplies and hygiene products to the South Portland School District, which is home to precarious families. Offered a home pack.
The South Portland Human Rights Commission, along with the South Portland Housing Authority and the Community of Kindness, organized an emergency initiative to provide and deliver diaper bags containing Pedialyte, PediaSure, baby bottles and sippy cups to arriving immigrant families. did.
“One of the most surprising things for me is that when I spot a need and put it out in a group, the immediate response is that recruiting volunteers is never a problem,” says Greene. “This is a community that genuinely wants to contribute and help each other,” Green said.
