It all started one day in 2017 at Trinity Episcopal Church in Shelburne. Susan Stock asked Darcy Jewett, her friend who she knew was a resourceful and excellent cook, to transform eight cans of black beans into a meal. Darcy happily took on the challenge and made black beans with sausage and peppers. She delivered and served the homemade meal at Harbor Place – a motel run by Champlain Housing Trust that provides temporary shelter and supportive services for those experiencing homelessness.
That initial meal batch blossomed into a weekly event cooking a variety of meals including soups, stews, and mac and cheese. Since then, volunteers Margret Lowell, Gail Currier, Marleen Moore, and Peggy Klimans have joined Darcy to help make and deliver the 30 homemade meals each week. Over the years, the crew started making and packing individual meals instead of serving them family-style. This offered more variety and meals could be more easily stored and heated in a hotel room.
Darcy says they have shopping, chopping, cooking and delivery down to a science. Between 2021 – 2024 the volunteers made and delivered 6,000 meals! Each meal includes a main dish, fresh fruit, a frosted cupcake or animal crackers.
This commitment to making home cooked meals every week for people staying at Harbor Place is inspiring. Thank you also to SCHIP’s Treasure Resale Shop, individual donors, and Shelburne Food Shelf for their generous contributions to fund these meals.