MCH Inc. invites the public, especially past and current Meals on Wheels volunteers, to attend a celebration of the new Meals on Wheels kitchen at the Methodist Conference Home, 39 Summer Street in Rockland on Thursday, June 22 from 4 to 6 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.

The new kitchen will be dedicated to Lois Stackpole-Alley in honor of her 47 years of service and to all Meals on Wheels volunteers; past, present and future. Stackpole-Alley joined the staff of the Methodist Conference Home in 1969, cooking and serving meals to residents. In the early 1970s MCH Inc. took over a local meal delivery program from People's United Methodist Church in Rockland starting with 2 clients and 2 volunteers. Under Stackpole-Alley's leadership the program grew to become the Meals on Wheels program in Knox County. She retired as MCH Food Service and Meals on Wheels Director in 2016.

MCH is especially reaching out to all Meals on Wheels volunteers, who have ever volunteered or currently volunteer, in hopes they will join this celebration.

The newly expanded kitchen improves the organization's capacity to prepare hot, home-delivered meals for seniors and people with disabilities living independently in Knox County, as well as Methodist Conference Home residents. In 2017, MCH Meals on Wheels staff will prepare and volunteers will deliver more than 28,000 meals to more than 200 people. An additional 4,000 meals will be provided at community dining sites.

Knox County has one of the oldest populations in Maine, which in turn has the oldest population of any state in the union. The need for MCH Meals on Wheels is growing as an ever-greater percentage of our population tries to maintain their independence in their own homes.

Just 31 percent of the funding for MCH Meals on Wheels is derived from government grants, and even that funding is gravely at risk as deep budget reductions are being proposed. Some participants are able to help with a suggested donation, but financial and volunteer support from individuals, foundations, civic organizations, businesses, and churches are critical to serve everyone in need, without a waiting list, regardless of their ability to make the suggested donation.

MCH is grateful for the outstanding efforts of the Kitchen Appeal Committee who successfully engaged the funding to expand the kitchen. Committee members were John Burstein, Karen Cadbury, Leslie Fillnow, Sherrie Gibson, Peter Gross, Lee Karker, Dyke Messler, Marnie Read, Lois Stackpole-Alley and Susan Thomas.