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246 community kitchen

    TURKEY

    246 Community Kitchen Serves Up Food and Conversation

    Wellfleet Food Pantry opens in a new location

    By

    WELLFLEET — Another season has started for the 246 Community Kitchen, a nonprofit in town that dishes out weekly free meals all winter long. Not much has changed, says the kitchen’s founder, Janet Drohan: “Amy Carow’s meatloaf is still the star of the show.”

    Janet Drohan, who founded the 246 Community Kitchen 10 years ago, chats with Tom Siggia and Becca Taylor after Tuesday’s dinner for 80 guests. (Photos by Emily Schiffer)

    Teams of volunteers show up early on Tuesdays to start cooking, using food donated by local restaurants and sourced from the Wellfleet Food Pantry, knowing that when the sun sets at 5 p.m., 80 or more locals will arrive punctually at the United Methodist Church hungry for food and conversation.

    “Janet is running out of material,” Drohan told her empty-bellied audience on the kitchen’s first night of the season, Nov. 5. After 11 years of inaugurating the dinners, Drohan said she has delegated the task of finding a joke to the team that cooks the meal on any given Tuesday night. But she still gets to joke around: “Don’t blame me if you don’t like it — blame them,” Drohan said, pointing to the hard-at-work chefs in the kitchen.

    The 246 Kitchen is open every Tuesday evening at 5 p.m. through the end of April. It rarely misses a week, except on Christmas and New Year’s Eve or if a snowstorm imperils the journey to Main Street. “If the school is closed, we’re closed. If the school is open, we’re open,” Drohan said. Last year, a midday storm made them cancel at the last minute. “We had to give all the turkey tetrazzini to the police and fire departments,” Drohan said.

    Stacy and Sarah Rose settle in together for a Tuesday night dinner.

    After Drohan finishes her pre-meal speech, she calls tables up one by one to fill their plates. “I don’t take bribes for calling tables,” she tells her audience. This week’s menu is more casual than usual, but still includes little extras: there are cheesesteak subs, and the fried pickles come with dipping sauce. For dessert, there is apple pie or crumb cake. But only if you “go see Arlene” first, suggests Drohan. Arlene Myers McKim is a Barnstable County visiting nurse who comes to the 246 dinners monthly to administer blood sugar and blood pressure tests to those who want them.

    Stationed in the back of the room behind a privacy screen, nurse Arlene Myers McKim, who works for the Barnstable County Health Dept., is available to do blood sugar and blood pressure tests for anyone who wants them.

    The Wellfleet contingent of AmeriCorps Cape Cod, a federal volunteer program for young professionals to gain experience in municipal projects and nonprofit work, can always be found at a table in the back of the room. They usually return to the house they share with trays of leftover food that will feed them for days to come. “They keep us fed, so we can’t complain,” said Henry Torpey, the program supervisor.

    In the front of the room, the women at table seven are so devoted to the weekly dinners that they carry on the tradition after the season ends. “We miss it in the summer,” said Diane Greene. They began planning weekly summer meals to replicate the community kitchen, including a placard that reads “seven” in the center of the round table. “The only difference is we drink wine with the dinner,” Greene said.

    Mark Carow and Chris Burgess teach Sophie and Lucas Blakeslee how to rinse dishes.

    Drohan purchases produce from Stop & Shop with the donations she receives at the weekly dinners. The rest of the food comes from restaurants that close in the off-season as well as donations from the Wellfleet Food Pantry.

    There’s news from that front: after months of searching for a new temporary home, the pantry has found one at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, according to a press release. It will be operating out of a trailer in the church’s parking lot starting Dec. 9 until a permanent home is built for it next to the Adult Community Center. The pantry aims to raise $1.5 million to fund construction costs once it has nailed down the precise location on the town’s land. The organization’s volunteers have said that the pantry needs a new location because its current home in the Grace Chapel can no longer handle the growing demand for the pantry, which has climbed to 203 families.

    Volunteer Tom Siggia counts the donations at the end of the evening.

    Mustard Seed Kitchen is the community group in town that provides a “meals-on-wheels” style program that delivers two meals per week. Pat Synoradzki, who runs the organization, said that with 30 clients that group cannot take on more. Those looking to sign up can go through the council on aging to get on a waitlist, she said. She is looking for more volunteers to help expand the organization’s reach.

    Large round tables facilitate conversations among guests, many of whom do not know each other before sitting down together. Here, Ed Valinski and Bob Seidel talk over dessert.

    The idea behind these community programs is simple, Drohan said: “Help those who need help.” But through the force of mutual aid and care, they have become much more than just a free meal. “We are very grateful for what we have come to mean for the community, to be a gathering place in the winter,” she said.

    Guest-turned-volunteer Sophie Blakeslee vacuums the floor after the guests have departed for the evening.

    Wellfleet

    246 Community Kitchen

    Dinner on Tuesdays at 5 p.m. Free. Everyone is welcome.

    Wellfleet United Methodist Church, 246 Main St.

    Wellfleet Food Pantry

    Open Mon. and Wed. 3 to 6 p.m., Thurs. 10 a.m. to noon.
    Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church parking lot, 2282 Rt. 6 (starting Dec. 9).

    Mustard Seed Kitchen

    Delivery of two hot meals, on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.
    508-349-2049.

    SOUP’S ON

    246 Community Kitchen Dishes Out Dignity

    Cooks and guests gather for good company, and ‘the best meatloaf in the world’

    By

    WELLFLEET — In the kitchen of the United Methodist Church’s banquet hall, under a hand-painted sign that reads “safe harbor,” a group of six chefs zigzag around each other, chopping lemons, opening cans of corn, cracking eggs into a giant bowl. They have 24 hours to prepare a meal for 80. On this week’s menu: filet mignon with béarnaise sauce, baked cod, vegetable quiche, corn casserole, salad, and smashed Brussels sprouts and broccoli with aioli.

    They call themselves the “Limp Briskets,” and they are one of five teams who volunteer at the 246 Community Kitchen, a nonprofit that provides free weekly meals on Tuesday evenings from October through April.

    Team “Limp Brisket” in the kitchen. From left: Amy Carow, Tom Siggia, Pat Barrett, Ken Hogue, Jan Potter, Steve Potter, Sharee Carow, Bill Carow, and Cathy Siggia. (Photos by Sam Pollak)

    This year is the community kitchen’s 10th, and it’s the first full season back indoors after switching to a “Soup’s On” program during the pandemic. For that, they prepared quarts of soup and loaves of bread for pickup.

    Volunteers catch up with each other as they pull white tablecloths over round tables and place upside-down plates procured from the swap shop. In just a day’s time, the plates will be flipped over, and dinner and conversation will ensue.

    246 Community Kitchen’s director, Janet Drohan, calls the scene a “winter community locus.” The Tuesday dinners are for everybody, she says, for those who are food-compromised and those who are looking to stave off social isolation.

    “It’s not need-based, just community-based,” says volunteer Jan Potter. At the front of the room, a donation bowl sits on a table “to help us go the extra meal,” says Drohan. It gets filled with $100 or so a week from community members who can afford to help. The organization uses that money to buy fresh produce, Drohan says, but the rest of the food is donated from local sources, including the Wellfleet and Boston food pantries.

    Drohan oversees food procurement, which means the kitchen’s pantry and freezer is always brimming with new donations. The five teams rotate weeks, and a team leader develops a menu based on what is in the pantry. “It’s like a TV challenge,” Drohan says.

    For example, when the Fox & Crow closed its doors, owner Trudy Vermehren donated leftover groceries to the kitchen, which meant the team leading dinner that week had to ask, “What do we make with 24 pounds of cheese?” says director of operations Amy Carow. “Obviously we had to make lasagna.”

    Menu development requires innovation and a little bit of competition, says Drohan. “Amy makes the best meatloaf in the whole world, so no one else is going to even try it,” says Drohan.

    “Everyone tries to raise their game,” Carow says. But the bar is already high. “We make a mean minestrone, and a cardiac arrest macaroni and cheese,” she says.

    246 Community Kitchen director Janet Drohan and volunteer Mark Carow showing off donated steaks.

    The fun isn’t just in the menus — teams flex their creative muscles when coming up with their names. Besides the Limp Briskets, there is “Soup-a-licious,” “The Wash-a-shores,” “The Dinner Belles,” and the “Salty Souls.”

    And to stoke the fire a little bit more, Drohan gives out awards to teams at the end of each season. Past prizes included one for “the volunteer who finally learned how to empty the garbage,” and, “the team that uses the most pots and pans,” Drohan says.

    The meals are made from scratch, so teams often do what they can to prepare on Monday before turning on the ovens by 2 p.m. on Tuesday for the 5 p.m. opening. But the volunteers are indefatigable. “It’s about the community feeding the community,” Drohan says.

    Extra helpings come in the form of every other week visits to the dinners by nurses from the Barnstable County Visiting Nurses Association. They’re available upstairs from the dining room, offering tests for blood pressure and blood sugar as well as counseling.

    “Then they come eat with us,” Drohan says. Important disclaimer: “Anyone who wants dessert isn’t going to get it unless they get their blood pressure checked,” Drohan says. She can’t help herself: she’s a retired nurse.

    The dinner begins with a speech from Drohan; she announces winter activities and free resources like Mass Appeal and the food pantry. “I then have to tell a joke,” Drohan says, excusing the occasional bomb. “I’m not a jokester.”

    Then volunteer Dana Franchetti sits down at the piano and accompanies the guests through the meal. Old friends sit next to strangers, families sit next to singletons. “It looks like a scene from a Hallmark movie,” says Potter.

    “It’s about the preservation of dignity,” says Drohan.

    WELLFLEET 

    246 Community Kitchen
    Dinner on Tuesdays at 5 p.m. Free. Everyone is welcome.
    Wellfleet United Methodist Church, 246 Main St.

    Mustard Seed
    Delivery of two hot meals, twice a week, free, for people who need short-term help. Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Call 508-349-2049.

    Wellfleet Food Pantry
    Open Mon. 3 to 6 p.m., Wed. 4 to 6 p.m., Thurs. 10 a.m. to noon.
    Grace Chapel, 25 Lieutenant Island Rd.
    508-349-3036

    RESOLVED

    Where to Volunteer and Connect in the New Year

    From petting cats to planning events, opportunities to help abound on the Outer Cape

    By

    Walter Buckingham and Sheryl Jaffe at the Wellfleet Historical Society’s Banana Bash. (Photo by Lauren Hill)

    If volunteering is on your list of New Year’s resolutions, you’ll be glad to know that many local organizations are seeking people to help. The connection to others and the sense of purpose that comes with volunteering has been shown to be healthy, too. You can do something for others and for yourself by offering your skills to one of the organizations listed here. —Abraham Storer, K.C. Myers, and Edouard Fontenot

    Outer Cape

    Meals on Wheels, run by Elder Services of Cape Cod and the Islands, is in need of volunteer drivers to deliver meals to seniors in Wellfleet, Truro, Eastham, and Orleans. Training and mileage reimbursement is provided. Contact Dawn Ericson-Taylor, volunteer resource manager, at 508-394-4630 or [email protected].

    Helping Our Women, a resource center for Outer Cape women living with chronic or life-threatening conditions, is looking for volunteers to take on tasks ranging from driving clients to medical appointments to making home visits, doing data entry, and helping clients with basic technology. Find out more by clicking on “Get Involved” at helpingourwomen.org or by calling 508-487-4357.

    Mimi Friedman volunteers at the Methodist Church’s swap shop in Provincetown. (Photo by Nancy Bloom)

    Homeless Prevention Council is based in Orleans and helps people from Harwich to Provincetown take steps to keep their housing and attain financial independence. The volunteer positions listed on its website include general office support, marketing and development, events, and even landscaping at the office. To learn more and apply, go to “Get Involved” at hpccapecod.org or call  508-255-9667.

    Provincetown

    AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod has community members helping with administrative duties, food delivery, and events. There is a strong group of volunteers now, but new people are always welcome. Volunteers are free to commit as little or as much time as they want. To learn more, contact the office at 508-487-9445.

    Dixie Carter is one of the cats at CASAS who needs a home. (Photo by Nancy Bloom)

    CASAS, the Carrie A. Seaman Animal Shelter, is a no-kill shelter currently housing nine cats. The shelter has an all-volunteer staff. “We have some lovely cats that need some attention,” says Anita Butler, a full-time volunteer. The shelter is cage-free and volunteers are needed to sit with cats, brush them, and scoop boxes. Prospective volunteers should stop by during visiting hours (daily from 2 to 3:30 p.m.) to fill out an application. Information can be found at casasanimalshelter.org or by calling 508-487-4243.

    The Council on Aging in Provincetown is always looking for volunteers, according to Chris Hottle, the director. “I like to match volunteers with what they want to do,” she says. “Some volunteers are here every day and some are on call as needed.” Some 40 volunteers work in the meals program, teach classes, and help with over 175 other programs and services over the course of the year. Hottle meets in person with potential volunteers. She can be reached at 508-487-7080 or at [email protected].

    Provincetown Art Association and Museum likes to match volunteers with projects that use their skills. Currently opportunities are available for people to distribute flyers for the museum school, reorganize archives, install member exhibitions, and help with drop-off and pick-up days. Interested candidates should contact Lesley Marchessault, PAAM’s development officer, at 508-487-1750, ext. 112 or follow the “Support” link at paam.org.

    Truro

    Truro Historical Museum and the Cobb Archive have many year-round opportunities for volunteers interested in the history of the town and region. Although the museum is closed in the off season, archival work continues and volunteers catalog wills, deeds, newspaper articles, and photographs that document the history of the town. The archive welcomes and trains volunteers to help organize holdings. Some winter volunteers become greeters or docents come summer.  Currently the archive has a need for photographers to help with visual cataloging of museum collections and a technical person who can set up a new Wi-Fi network. To volunteer, contact museum staff at [email protected].

    The Cobb Library in Truro is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. to noon and by appointment at 508-349-0200. Volunteers catalog historical documents there all year round. (Photo by Nancy Bloom)

    Truro Community Kitchen fights food insecurity in Truro by delivering free, nourishing home-cooked meals to those who need them. Winter volunteers are urgently needed to help with the preparation and packaging of food in the community kitchen at the Christian Union Church from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. each Tuesday. Food delivery drivers are also needed on Tuesday afternoons. To volunteer, write to Wendy Lurie, [email protected], or call 973-868-7526.

    Sustainable CAPE supports local agriculture and farmers and combats hunger and food insecurity by donating fresh-picked fruits and vegetables on the Outer Cape. Volunteer possibilities include gardening with the team and making deliveries for the CSA program. To become a volunteer, go to “Get Involved” at sustainablecape.org.

    Carolina Marseglia volunteers at the Truro Swap Shop. (Photo by Nancy Bloom)

    Truro Swap Shop, located at the transfer station, is the town’s best place for repurposing unwanted items and keeping them out of the waste stream. It is in dire need of volunteers. Application materials are online at the Truro town website, truro-ma.gov, where you can click on the button for “Transfer Station” then choose “Swap Shop Volunteer.” Nancy Fenichel can help interested volunteers apply. Call her at 508-349-2591.

    Friends of the Truro Library are always looking for volunteers to assist library staff in keeping the library running smoothly. Volunteers’ skills go to event planning, staffing book sales, library work, publicity, presentations, and lectures. For the library’s current needs, contact Director Tricia Ford at 508-487-1125 or [email protected].

    The Food Pantry is looking for new volunteers to join its community of pantry helpers. For information or to volunteer, contact Barbara Bond at [email protected] or 617-515-4342.

    Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article, published in print on Dec. 29, 2022, incorrectly reported that the Cobb Library in Truro was closed for the winter. It is open Tuesdays and Thursdays.

    Wellfleet

    AIM Thrift Shop is volunteer-run and open year-round, six days a week, except for the month of February. Proceeds benefit local nonprofits that provide health, food, and other social services. The thrift store lost a lot of volunteers during Covid, and they’re hoping to rebuild their ranks, says Jim McAuliffe, a board member. Volunteers are asked to work at least one three-hour shift a week. Interested candidates can get an application at the shop at 305 Main St.

    Mass Appeal has a mission of providing free clothing to residents of the Outer Cape. Its Share Shop is staffed by volunteers who unpack donations, sort clothing, and assist customers. To become a volunteer, call 508-349-1173 or go to ccmassappeal.org and click on “Support Us” to send a message.

    246 Community Kitchen’s volunteer teams prepare meals all winter on Mondays and Tuesdays. The meals are currently packaged for pickup, but they plan to return to community meals later in the winter. This winter’s teams are pretty well staffed, but those interested in helping should call Amy Carow at 908-377-0677; she says 246 always has room for enthusiastic volunteers.

    The Wellfleet Food Pantry at Grace Chapel provides food to more than 150 families. Volunteers are needed to staff the pantry and serve shoppers. The time commitment can be as little as two hours per month. If interested, contact 508-349-3036 or send a message via the website, wellfleetfoodpantry.org.

    The Audubon sanctuary in Wellfleet is open year-round. (Photo by Agata Storer)

    Mass Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary offers a wide variety of volunteer opportunities depending on the season. At this time of year they are seeking front desk volunteers. “It’s one of the most interesting and challenging positions,” says Director Melissa Lowe Cestaro. You’ll field questions about everything from trail conditions, wildlife, and where to go to eat, she says. Ideally a volunteer would take a three-hour shift once a week.

    Volunteers for the sea turtle rescue program underway now are recruited and trained in the fall. In the spring, there will be training for volunteer naturalists to lead guided walks, protect diamondback terrapins, or help with a horseshoe crab census. See massaudubon.org and click on “Get Involved” or call the sanctuary at 508-349-2615.

    Wellfleet Historical Society is looking for history buffs to join in a wide range of opportunities in grant research and writing, photography, gardening and landscaping, education, conducting oral histories, and fundraising. Schedules are flexible and “there’s something for everyone,” according to the website. Choose “Get Involved” at wellfleethistoricalsociety.org or email coordinator Sheryl Jaffe, [email protected].

    Eastham

    The Eastham Council on Aging seeks volunteers to be greeters at the senior center as well as activities organizers for the meals, events, and other programs offered there. Phone 774-801-3151 for information. People who have a mind for retail may also help at the thrift shop. For information on that, call 508-255-6164.

    Amy Sanders is the volunteer coordinator at Wild Care in Eastham. (Photo by Agata Storer)

    Wild Care attends to sick and wounded small wild animals. The staff is always looking for help cleaning the clinic, which includes disinfecting animal cages, washing dishes, doing laundry, and washing floors. A three-hour shift one day per week for a minimum of six months and attendance at a monthly meeting in Brewster is required. Volunteers are also needed to help with fundraising and events. For more information, email [email protected].

    Nauset Warriors Booster Club at Nauset Regional High School depends on volunteers to raise funds for sports equipment, transportation, and other expenses that allow students to participate in sports without paying any fees. Volunteers work at the concession stand at games and tournaments. The minimum time commitment is two to three hours a season. Community members and students are invited to sign up. Contact volunteer coordinator K.C. Myers at [email protected] or learn more at nausetboosters.com.

    The Windmill Weekend Committee’s president, Joanna Stevens, said her group has already started planning for Windmill Weekend in September 2023. The committee needs a chairperson to organize the road race, co-chairs for the raffle and car show, and a volunteer merchandising coordinator. These positions require attendance at monthly planning meetings throughout the year. Alternatively, you can volunteer just for the weekend itself. There’s a Windmill Weekend volunteer recruitment event at the Eastham Public Library on Feb. 2, 2023, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. or email [email protected].

    FOOD SERVICE

    Three Community Kitchens Prepare for a Busy Winter

    Shared meals target food insecurity and loneliness

    By

    TRURO — In all three of Cape Cod’s outermost towns, community kitchens have come to serve an important role in fighting off the twin worries of the off-season here: diminished income and increased social isolation. In Provincetown and Wellfleet, shared meals in winter have been a tradition for years, while in Truro, a Covid-era startup has been delivering meals to people’s doorsteps every Tuesday night all year long.

    MEALS NEED WHEELS

    When It Comes to Hunger, Sometimes Transportation Is the Issue

    The RTA and others collaborate to deliver food where it is needed

    By

    As food insecurity has continued to grow across Cape Cod during the pandemic, a hidden issue has come into view alongside it. Sometimes, people go hungry not because there is no food to be had, but because they lack the ability to go shopping or pick up meals being offered by local groups.

    Now some new joint endeavors are cropping up to make a difference.

    pantry1
    Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority driver Steve Hull prepares for a delivery run. The transit authority has been coordinating with food pantries to bring food to those who can’t pick it up themselves. (Photos courtesy Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority)

    Andrea Marczely, the food access coordinator at the Cape Cod Cooperative Extension, a county food and health services office, was searching for solutions to the food access problem last December.

    “We heard one of the biggest obstacles is transportation,” she said. She reached out to the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority (RTA), which runs bus routes, to set up a brainstorming session. “They immediately responded with an offer to help,” Marczely said.

    Thomas Cahir, the administrator at the transit authority, said it had removed some of the seats in smaller buses used for its Dial-a-Ride on-demand transit service in order to allow for delivery of food.

    “The pandemic has caused us to think differently in a number of ways,” Cahir said. “Food is difficult for a lot of seniors, who are hesitant to go into grocery stores.” The RTA was glad to pitch in, he said.

    The food delivery program rolled out in January, with the Cooperative Extension handling coordination between social service organizations, the transit authority, and food pantries.

    The Lower Cape Outreach Council secures the food and serves as the RTA pickup point for deliveries on the Lower and Outer Cape. (Falmouth Service Center serves the same role for the Upper Cape, and Hands of Hope Outreach Center for the mid-Cape.)

    Now, Cahir said, the transit authority’s buses are on the road every day making deliveries. RTA manager Dennis Foster has gone out on a few runs himself. “There have been a lot of younger families on all the runs I’ve been on,” he said. “I think the need is acute. Families are struggling.” Food recipients are very thankful, Foster added.

    Gennie Moran, chief operating officer of the Lower Cape Outreach Council, confirmed there has been a dramatic increase in households using its food pantry. In 2019, the pantry served 4,671 households. In 2020, the number jumped to 6,994 — a 50-percent increase.

    The transit authority’s delivery system is also used to provide food to people in quarantine. Marczely has established a relationship with the Cape’s regional coordinator for the state’s Covid-19 contact tracing program. Now, contact tracers ask those who must quarantine whether they are in need of food.

    If they are, the names are passed to Marczely. The extension service then coordinates with local pantries and turns to the RTA for delivery. “The RTA is great,” she said.

    pantry2
    The RTA removed seats from some vans to make room for groceries.

    The Family Pantry of Cape Cod has also taken action on the delivery problem, running a mobile pantry out of Harwich that delivers to five communities: Chatham, Dennis, Brewster, Eastham, and Provincetown.

    Those deliveries have taken shape through partnerships with the councils on aging, said Executive Director Christine Menard, who agreed this has been a remarkably busy year. Once a month, she said, they deliver enough for 30 to 60 families to each council on aging. And recently, the Family Pantry added a second delivery truck.

    Provincetown’s Council on Aging Director Chris Hottle said that, since the beginning of the pandemic, participation in the mobile food program has gone up by 28 percent.

    Food insecurity in Provincetown is high. “I think it’s the economics here,” Hottle said. “There are so many seasonal workers, and real estate is so high. It’s expensive and isolated.”

    The Family Pantry provides the COA with a list of available items, which include meats, dairy products, and baked goods. The COA contacts program participants and submits their list of needs to the Family Pantry, where orders are packaged.

    On delivery day, volunteers help unload the truck. And while the senior center offers drive-through pickup for those who have transportation, some of the bags go into the COA’s vans. Those are for delivery to those who can’t drive to the senior center, Hottle said.

    On a smaller scale, putting meals on wheels has been important to the success of two Wellfleet efforts to feed more people.

    The nonprofit Common Table, run out of the Fox & Crow Café on Commercial Street, has been delivering breakfasts to recipients in Eastham, Wellfleet, and Truro since the start of the pandemic. Common Table is a separate entity from the café, but owner Trudy Vermehren is involved in the nonprofit food program, working alongside Kristen Shantz and other volunteers who prepare, pack, and deliver morning meals Monday through Friday. They’re delivering about 70 meals per day, on average, Vermehren said.

    On Wednesdays, the breakfast delivery may include a quart of soup.

    The 246 Community Kitchen at the Wellfleet United Methodist Church cooks up about 50 quarts each Tuesday. The ingredients are donated, said Janet Drohan, director of the Community Kitchen. Two weeks ago, the menu featured clam chowder, with clams donated by local fishermen, served with loaves of loaves of bread donated by PB Boulangerie.

    The kitchen has historically offered a community dinner on Tuesday nights, but due to pandemic-related restrictions, it has become a drive-through take-out operation. Now on Tuesdays, participants who have registered receive a quart of soup, loaf of bread, and bag of salad. Any soup that’s left over is brought to the Common Table for delivery to their recipients.

    health

    Everybody Has a Hungry Heart

    Community kitchens address hunger and isolation in Outer Cape winters

    By

    Carol Thomas serves a salad at 246 Kitchen
    Carol Thomas serves up one of the salads that are an important part of the Tuesday menus at the 246 Community Kitchen in Wellfleet. (Photo Courtesy 246 Community Kitchen)

    Every Tuesday night starting Oct. 29 there will be a dinner party with 100 guests at the Wellfleet United Methodist Church. Dana Franchitto will play classical pieces on the piano and the food will be prepared by teams of cooks who get a little competitive with their culinary creations.

    Along with the best meatloaf on Cape Cod (a secret family recipe) the 246 Community Kitchen has been offering fresh, home-cooked meals with lots of vegetables and something even more nutritious, good company, for the last eight years from October through May, says Janet Drohan, the director.

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