Not Bread Alone

A community meal program in Amherst

Not Bread Alone welcomes everyone to help prepare and enjoy fresh, nutritious, and family-style meals using local ingredients whenever possible. The free meals program fosters a caring environment that relies on strong volunteer and community involvement. All who come are welcomed, accepted and appreciated for what they can offer. Not Bread Alone serves three meals every week at the First Congregational Church in Amherst—on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.

ENGAGEMENT DETAILS: On Wednesdays, participants begin set up and cooking at 12:30-1:30 pm, serve the meal at 4 pm, and finish clean up by approximately 6 pm. On Saturdays and Sundays, participants start between 9-9:30 am, serve at 12pm, and finish at approximately 2 pm. Tasks may include setting up tables and chairs, bagging groceries (on Saturdays), chopping vegetables, cooking, serving, sweeping, washing and drying dishes, mopping, general cleaning of the space, and organizing food and cooking supplies. The meal is facilitated by a Kitchen Leader. The Kitchen Leader comes prepared with a menu, but volunteer ideas and creativity are encouraged in this collaborative cooking process. At 12pm on weekends and 4pm on Wednesdays, volunteers sit down with guests to enjoy the meal before clean-up. This is often the most rewarding part of the experience. Not Bread Alone actively tries to break down boundaries between those serving and those being served in order to foster a respectful, inclusive environment that welcomes everyone to help prepare and enjoy a meal together.  Bus from campus: PVTA #30 and 45 to Amherst Town Hall stop and go down Main St.

Contact: 

Bob Stover, Program Supervisor
413-256-0128

Address: 

First Congregational Church of Amherst, UCC, Lower Level, 165 Main Street, Amherst, MA, 01002