Upcoming events.
Jersey Mike's Month of Giving and Day of Giving: Benefitting MCHPP!
Throughout the entire month of March, select Jersey Mike’s locations in Maine and New Hampshire will be collecting donations at the register for Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program for their 15th Annual “Month of Giving” fundraising campaign. Order all month long and make a difference with a donation in-store or through the app. Then come back on Wednesday, March 26 for Jersey Mike’s Day of Giving, when each of the 9 participating Jersey Mike’s locations will donate 100% of sales to MCHPP!
The participating Jersey Mike’s locations in Maine and New Hampshire are:
550 Gallery Blvd., Scarborough, Maine 04074
600 Center St., Auburn, Maine 04210
172 Bath Rd., Brunswick, Maine 04011
240 US-1 Falmouth, Maine 04105
1100 Brighton Ave., Portland, Maine 04102
507 Main St Saco, Maine 04072
51 Topsham Fair Mall Rd Topsham, Maine 04086
795 Roosevelt Trail, Windham, Maine 04062
1584 White Mountain Hwy., North Conway, New Hampshire 03860
Thank you to Jersey Mike’s for their generous support of MCHPP and our mission!
Community Kitchen Chef's Table Dinner
**Tickets for this event are SOLD OUT! Please email Rena at rpulfer@mchpp.org to be added to the waitlist.**
Join James Beard-nominated Chef and current Community Kitchen Coordinator, Randy Forrester for an intimate 5-course dining experience in MCHPP’s Community Kitchen. Limited to just 12 guests, this exclusive event showcases seasonal ingredients transformed into an unforgettable fine-dining menu.
Date: March 27 (weather reschedule date: April 3)
Time: 6–8 PM (optional MCHPP tour at 5:30 PM)
Cost: $175 per person (all proceeds benefit MCHPP)
Sample Menu
Complimentary wine included for 21+.
Caramelized Parsnips + Green Apple Aioli + Almonds
Sweet & Sour Butternut Squash + Gorgonzola + Cider Jus
Local Hake + Crispy Moroccan Potatoes + Spiced Yogurt
Slow-Cooked Beef Shoulder + Curried Carrots + Carrot-Top Salsa Verde
Apple Torta + Cranberry Semifreddo
*Note: Menu adjusted until day of event to reflect what our local food system is providing.
About the Community Kitchen Chef’s Table
This real-time, interactive tasting-menu experience takes place in the heart of our Community Kitchen, using the same seasonal ingredients distributed through our Food Bank, Pantry, and meal programs. Our work centers on rescuing valuable, often local food that might otherwise go to waste—helping both our community and the environment. By transforming raw ingredients into ready-to-eat meals and other value-added foods, we reduce food waste while making it easier for our neighbors in need to put nutritious meals on their tables.
While our daily meals prioritize comfort and familiarity, this fine-dining event brings our mission to life in an elevated way—challenging perceptions of food waste while exceeding culinary expectations.
Guests should arrive with an open mind and a spirit of adventure, ready to explore unexpected flavors and ingredient pairings. Each dish is thoughtfully crafted to celebrate the beauty of seasonal, recovered foods, demonstrating how creativity and sustainability can come together on the plate.
Important Details
🔹 Tickets must be purchased in advance—this event is expected to sell out.
🔹 All sales are final. If you can’t attend, you may transfer your seat or consider your ticket a donation (a tax receipt will be provided).
🔹 Further parking & entry instructions will be emailed the week of the event.
For questions or ticket issues, please contact Rena at rpulfer@mchpp.org.
We look forward to welcoming you into our Community Kitchen!
Plates of Plenty Benefit Auction
Plates of Plenty is returning in 2025!
Mark your calendar and stay tuned for more info in the coming months.
Panel: Planned Giving that Makes an Impact
Co-hosted with Oasis Free Clinics, Tedford Housing, and The Gathering Place.
Join local estate planning experts for this free educational panel and explore how to strategically use your assets for impact today as well as the many ways you can leave a lasting legacy tomorrow. All are welcome.
We are delighted to also be welcoming a donor whose family has been through the planned giving process to share their personal perspective.
This will be a 45-minute panel followed by a 15-minute Q&A. Advanced registration NOT required. Questions? Email development@mchpp.org.
Experts
Sophie Halpin, CFP, Financial Advisor, Back Cove Financial
Lauren Weliver, Esq., Estate Planning Attorney, Murray Plumb & Murray
Moderator
Hannah Chatalbash, Executive Director, MCHPP
German Style Beer Tasting Benefitting MCHPP
German Beer Tasting Night with Trinken Brewing- $75
Tickets on Eventbrite
About the Event
At Trinken, brewing is more than a craft — it’s a celebration of the rich traditions of German beer-making. Every beer they 0create is a tribute to the flavors, aromas, and time-honored techniques that have defined German brewing for centuries.
Their name, “Trinken,” means “to drink” in German — and that’s exactly what they invite you to do! From crisp Kölsch to classic Hefeweizen, robust Dunkel, and seasonal creations, their lineup offers something for every beer lover. By blending German brewing roots with innovative techniques, they create unique, high-quality brews that honor tradition while embracing creativity.
Hosted by John Gillespie, friend of MCHPP
Food provided by Social Goose
Event proceeds benefit Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program
MLK Jr Day Community Benefit Supper by Brunswick Democratic Town Committee
About This Event
The Brunswick Democratic Town Committee will again host a Community Supper on Martin Luther King Jr. Day (1/20/25) with proceeds benefitting MCHPP!
Sandy Holland, formerly of Union Street Bakery, will prepare a to-go meal of salad, lasagna (meat or vegetarian), and carrot cake. Dinners are $40 per person and will be picked up at MCHPP's Community Kitchen on the Landing from 5-6:30pm on Monday, January 20th. **Further pickup instructions will be sent via email once ticket sales close on January 18th.
You must purchase your meal in advance. Orders may be placed until 11am on 1/18/25 or until the event is sold out. Please reach out to us at rpulfer@mchpp.org if you have any trouble placing your order.
Dine Out at Noble Kitchen + Bar and Benefit MCHPP
Looking to do good with your dinner? Visit our friends over at Noble Kitchen + Bar through Feb 23rd and 10% of sales from their two featured menu items will be generously donated to MCHPP:
Their Tortellini is crafted from scratch – from the fresh pasta to herbed ricotta, rich sauce, and savory meatballs. And the Mull and Void Punchbowl is a crowd-pleasing rum-based cocktail, with mulled wine syrup, lime, pineapple, falernum, and pine bitters– and meant for sharing!
Grab a friend and head on over!
Volunteer Fair
United Way of Mid Coast Maine’s Volunteerism Sub Committee in partnership with MCHPP invite you to kick-off 2025 with us at the Community Nonprofit Volunteer Fair.
Looking for ways to support your community in the new year? Come to our Volunteer Fair to learn about the many opportunities to get involved with local nonprofits. Volunteer support is critical to the success of local organizations!
Make volunteering your 2025 New Year’s resolution!
More info on attendee organizations coming soon
Harvest Craft & Food Fair
A fun-filled pre-holiday shopping experience featuring talented local crafters, food vendors and food trucks, a kids' activity area, raffles, and a bake sale!
Thank you to the generous sponsors who made this event possible!
Harvest Hub & Kids Corner Sponsor
Bath Savings
Artisan Area Sponsors
GoNetSpeed
Don Foshay’s Discount Tire & Alignment
Morning Glory Natural Foods
Harvest Helpers
Bangor Savings Bank
Ray Labbe & Sons Excavation & Paving
Coastal Maine Pediatric Dentistry
Event Support Partner
Arts Are Elementary
Media Partner
The Times Record
Food Truck Partners
Black Salt
Barry Larry’s
Vendor Registration: Harvest Craft & Food Fair
We are thrilled to invite you to participate in the 2024 Harvest Craft & Food Fair, hosted for the first time by MCHPP. The event will be held on Saturday, November 2nd, at Harriet Beecher Stowe School in Brunswick. We are excited to highlight local crafters and food vendors by offering a fun pre-holiday shopping experience, while raising vital funds for MCHPP's food security programming in the region. Please review the Vendor Letter which includes all the details you need to understand the revised event format and what to expect. Please note that this year we are no longer accepting direct sale vendors (Tupperware, Scentsy, LulaRoe, etc.). We appreciate your understanding.
After reviewing the letter, complete a Vendor Application by following the steps below.
Click here to complete an online version of the application.
Print and complete a paper application, then scan and email to mchppharvestfair@mchpp.org or mail to:
Attn: Harvest Fair
Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program
179 Neptune Drive
Brunswick, ME, 04011
Vendors will be approved on a first-come, first serve basis starting July 12th. We look forward to working with you and making this year's Harvest Craft & Food Fair a great success!
10th Annual Harvest Dinner
Buy Tickets
Join us on Wednesday, October 30th for the 2024 Harvest Dinner to celebrate the bounty of another harvest season and the community who makes it possible.
Menu
Arugula salad with goat cheese, pecans, cherry tomatoes and a lemon thyme vinaigrette (can be served without dairy and nuts)
Nomad signature pizzas including: Marinara, Margherita, Soppressata, Spicy Sausage, Shiitake Mushroom, Guanciale, and/or Arugula (vegan and gluten free options available)
Seasonal dessert homemade in MCHPP's Community Kitchen
*Cash bar available featuring assorted beer and wine offerings and a signature event cocktail.
Please purchase tickets for your full party in one order if possible, or reach out to Alyssa at aschoppee@mchpp.org to confirm your group size so we can seat you together.
Community Kitchen: Harvest Cooking Workshops
Join MCHPP's Community Kitchen coordinator, Randy, for a FREE seasonal cooking workshop on October 29th or October 30th, both sessions are from 1-3pm.
Tuesday's workshop will revolve around making a tasty twist on a classic apple crisp. Learn to make apple butter, homemade custard, and a delicious crumble topping.
Wednesday's session will focus on a more savory seasonal favorite- butternut squash. Perfect your knife skills to expertly peel and dice the notoriously tricky ingredient every time, learn various roasting techniques, tips for making a creamy puree, and essentials of butternut squash soup.
Donations accepted, but these events are 100% free to attend!
Cooking Class Fundraiser by Ali Waks-Adams & Now You're Cooking
Host: Now You're Cooking
Chef: Ali Waks-Adams
Join Now You're Cooking and Chef Ali Waks-Adams for a cooking class to benefit Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program on Wednesday, September 25 from 5-7pm. September is National Hunger Action Month and all of the proceeds from this class will go directly to work MCHPP does in its mission to offer dignity and empowerment by providing all members of our community with access to healthy food.
Here's what you will learn to make (and eat!):
Butternut squash soup + buttered crumbs & ginger oil
Pan seared chicken breasts+ mustard caper pan sauce
Roasted garlic mashed potatoes
Radicchio pear local blue cheese salad
Apple crumble + cinnamon ice cream
GET YOUR TICKETS HERE before they’re gone! This event is limited to 12 lucky guests.
About the chef: Ali Waks-Adams is the chef /owner of Balaboosta Food Made for You & Willie & Chet's Pop Ups. A native NYer, Ali has lived in Brunswick Maine for 10 years and counting. Her move from Philadelphia to Maine was spurred by the taste of a locally grown potato, and she has been working with local farmers, fishers and producers ever since. She was the chef at Delicatessen, a Modern Jewish Deli in Philadelphia. Former Exec Chef at The Brunswick Inn (aka 165 Park Row), Chef Partner with Butter & Salt Pop Ups, Private Chef & Caterer, Consulting Chef with Dog Bar Jim and others, Ali ran the successful underground Pop Up Wille & Chet's Food to Go during the pandemic. Her newest venture is Balaboosta, a meal service company providing weekly meals to go. She also caters small events & private dinners. Ali is on the Board of MCHPP, Mid Coast Hunger Prevention, the advisory Kitchen Cabinet for MCHPP's Community Kitchen, and she is a sometime storyteller at The Community Plate dinners.
Hunger Action Month
Each September, the Feeding America network joins together for Hunger Action Month® — a national campaign designed to inspire people to take action and raise awareness of hunger in the United States.
Food shouldn’t be an impossible choice. Yet, for millions of people in America, a daily meal isn’t a choice between different dishes. It's a choice between food and other crucial needs—like medicine, electricity, or childcare.
Events Hosted by MCHPP Include:
Free Craft Kits for Kids with Food Insecurity Conversation Starters- Available at Curtis Memorial Library beginning September 15th
MCHPP Impact Update: Sept 10th, 4:30pm-5:30pm in the Morrell Room at Curtis Memorial Library
Join MCHPP for a fascinating presentation covering prevalence of food insecurity in our community. We’ll share MCHPP’s program results, volunteer efforts, and other data to demonstrate the true scale of the agency’s impact.
Advocate for policy change by writing to your elected officials at an MCHPP Postcard Party. Dates coming soon!
Join Now You're Cooking and Chef Ali Waks Adams for a cooking class to benefit Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program on Wednesday, September 25 from 5-7pm. Click here to sign up.
Summer Open House!
All are welcome! No advanced registration required.
Drop-in just to say hello or stay a while and take a tour of the facility, learn about getting involved, and network with others who are passionate about food security work.
Light refreshments will be offered.
Free Summer Yoga Series with Sundara
Free weekly yoga class on the Brunswick Town Mall with Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program and Sundara Yoga.
Plates of Plenty, A Benefit Auction for MCHPP
Tickets available beginning May 6th. Please join us for Plates of Plenty, a Benefit Auction for MCHPP on Thursday, June 20th at Maine Maritime Museum in Bath. Proceeds from the event support MCHPP’s work to ensure access to plentiful food for all members of our community.
Community Night
At this event, 5% of sales made from 5-9pm will be donated to MCHPP.
A Note From the Host:
At BYH we are committed to the community. We are the craft brewery where people and organizations throughout Maine can gather to play music, and hold events, meetings, and celebrations. We are constantly looking for ways to to be apart and give back to the communities of Maine that helped build us, whether it be through business collaborations, ongoing initiatives, or our ever popular “Community Nights”. These Community Nights give space to local orginizations to help raise funds at our restaurants, with a percentage of that nights sales gong directly to the organization. Since the initiative’s start, we have helped raised over $50,000 dollars for many organizations throughout Maine.
Story Sharing Supper by Community Plate
Join Community Plate, together with Merrymeeting Food Council, Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program, and Maine Coast Fishermen's Association, at Elks Lodge #2043 in Brunswick for a Story Sharing Potluck Supper — a special evening of connection through the sharing of food, stories, and recipes. Our theme for the evening is “By Land & By Sea.”
The event is free, but reservations are required. Register here on Eventbrite!
Brews for a Cause
Flight Deck Brewing will donate 20% of beer and pizza sales to MCHPP from 4-9pm on Wednesday, March 20th.
Spring Fever CSA Raffle
What better way to celebrate the First Day of Spring than with a chance to win a gift card or CSA to one of your favorite local farms?
Make a gift to MCHPP and for your chance to win:
A gift card valued at $150 to Merriman Gardens to purchase seasonal produce at their roadside farm stand in Brunswick
16 weeks of seasonal produce from Harvest Tide Organics via their 2024 Summer Veggie Share ($480 value)
4 beautiful bouquets from Mare Brook Farm via their Monthly CSA ($120 value)
A gift card to East of Eden Flower Farm to purchase beautiful blooms at their Bowdoinham farm stand.
Contest rules: Participants are limited to Maine residents ages 18 and up. If you would like to request up to 1 free entry, please contact development@mchpp.org for more details.
West African Culinary Workshop
Experience the richness of West African cuisine with Chef Jordan Benissan of Mé Lon Togo restaurant (Rockland, ME). An evening of food, culture, and community awaits!
MLK Community Supper by Brunswick's Democratic Town Committee
The Brunswick Democratic Town Committee will again host a Community Supper on Martin Luther King Jr. Day (1/15/24) with proceeds benefitting MCHPP!
Sandy Holland, formerly of Union Street Bakery, will prepare a to-go meal of salad, lasagna (protein or vegetarian), and carrot cake. Dinners are $35 per person and will be picked up at 40 Union Street from 5-6:30pm on Monday, January 15th. You must purchase your meal in advance here. Orders may be placed until 1/13/23 or until the event is sold out.
Retirement Celebration for Karen Parker
We will gather at the Adaptive Outdoor Education Center (675 Old Portland Rd, Brunswick, ME 04011) on Wednesday, December 13th from 3:30-5:30pm to celebrate the retirement of MCHPP’s longtime Executive Director, Karen Parker. Sweet treats and seasonal beverages will be offered.
Drop-in for a quick hello, or stay the whole time and mingle! Remarks will be made by MCHPP Board Chair, Megan Hart at 4:15pm.
Questions? Contact Alyssa Schoppee at development@mchpp.org or (207)725-2716 x306.
MCHPP Fall Mixer
Meet some of our team members, learn more about our impact, and find out how you can be a part of this work. Refreshments provided!
Maine Marathon- Run for MCHPP
Run the Maine Marathon, Half Marathon, or Relay for MCHPP and receive a discount on your registration while supporting our work to ensure everyone in our community has access to the healthy food they need to thrive.
September 'Hunger Action Month' Partnerships
During the entire month of September, our friends at Wild Oats Bakery & Café and Flight Deck Brewing are giving you the opportunity to support MCHPP in honor of national Hunger Action Month.
At Flight Deck, proceeds from their September specialty pizza will benefit MCHPP. Know you’re supporting positive change while enjoying a delicious pizza!
At Wild Oats, a portion of all soups purchased during the month of September will be donated to MCHPP. Kick off soup season and make a ‘souper’ difference at the same time!
Discussion Panel: Healthy Systems, Nourished People
In honor of MCHPP’s 40th anniversary we are excited to host this upcoming panel regarding food security and its relationship to our local food system: where we are, what we envision, and ways in which we might get there. Register here.
BTLT's Taking Root Plant Sale
Each year the volunteer-run Tom Settlemire Community Garden helps produce thousands of pounds of organic produce for MCHPP. This effort is funded by BTLT's annual Taking Root Plant Sale.
'Catch up with Karen' (MCHPP Volunteers Only, Please)
MCHPP volunteers can ‘Catch up with Karen’ at one of four conversation sessions held throughout May. She’ll honor 40 years of MCHPP, talk about our current work, answer questions, and more.
National Association of Letter Carriers' Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive
The National Association of Letter Carriers’ 31st Annual "Stamp Out Hunger" Food Drive is on May 13th! To donate, just place a box or bag of non-perishable food next to your mailbox before your letter carrier delivers mail. Carriers will collect and deliver all donations an area food bank or pantry, where it will be available for those in need.
BTLT & CREA Earth Day Clean Up!
Earth Day Clean Up hosted by Brunswick Topsham Land Trust and Cathance River Education Alliance on Saturday, April 22nd. Learn more and register.
Youth Hunger Panel: An MCHPP Food Security Discussion Series Event
This event is free and open to all. Read more and register to receive the viewing link. We hope you'll join us for an educational evening about the current state of youth hunger in Maine.