WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — Upper Valley Everyone Eats, a collaboration between restaurants and community groups aimed at getting prepared meals to those in need, launched this week, according to a Friday news release.
UVEE is one of 10 community hubs in Vermont that are being supported by federal coronavirus relief funds via the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development and Southeastern Vermont Community Action.
Between this week and Dec. 15, when funding ends, UVEE aims to provide 2,500 pre-packaged meals each week, for a total of 35,000 meals. Participating restaurants, which have been hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, will receive $10 per meal. Many will buy 10% of their ingredients locally.
The meals will be distributed through food pantries, senior centers and community dinners, at no cost to the recipients. While the meals will be distributed in Vermont, no proof of residency or other eligibility will be required to receive meals.
Vital Communities, the lead administrator for UVEE, is working with the Upper Valley Haven, LISTEN Community Services, Willing Hands and Stagecoach to distribute the meals.
So far, five restaurants — Global Village Cuisine in Windsor, Maple Street Catering & Big Fatty’s BBQ in Hartford, Hanover Co-op Food Stores Kitchen in Hartford, Piecemeal Pies in Hartford, and Griddle & Groovy in Thetford — are participating, as are 17 meal sites, but the project welcomes more.
To sign up, other restaurants and food pantries can contact the project’s organizers at uvee@vitalcommunities.org.
More information, including a full list of meal sites, is online at https://vitalcommunities.org/valleyfoodfarm/uvee/. Help with food assistance in either of the Twin States can be found by calling 211.