HERE ARE THREE examples of the great meals offered at The Food Drive and FUMC Melrose’s Community Freezer.
MELROSE – The Food Drive’s Community Freezer Program at First United Methodist Church Melrose (FUMC Melrose), 645 Main St., will offer meals on Easter Sunday, and is open on Sundays year-round from 11:30 a.m. to 12 noon. All are welcome to visit the church to choose meals prepared and donated by volunteer cooks and local food establishments including Buckalew’s General Store, The Kitchen, and Mama Jean in Melrose; Food Revolution in Stoneham; and BossMama Taproom & Kitchen in Wakefield.
A joint program of FUMC Melrose and The Food Drive, the Community Freezer offers “heat and eat” meals at no cost for anyone who needs them, with no ID or residency requirement. Meals are offered in the chapel, and entry is through the front door of the church or the ramp into the hallway. Upon arrival, there is ample space available for guests to wait indoors the foyer as needed.
Once the doors open at 11:30 a.m., guests are invited to choose from a wide selection of options that are indicated by category. To accompany each meal, guests may also select homemade treats made with love by the FUMC youth group, along with community bakers.
In addition to the Sunday program, The Food Drive distributes meals through direct deliveries to low-income housing facilities when inventory is available. In 2024, the Community Freezer provided 6,500 meals, thanks to the generosity of local meal donors.
One Community Freezer guest said, “I’m so extremely thankful that your Community Freezer has dinners to go. I got three containers, and they were fabulous.”
The Community Freezer is the result of a shared commitment to social action. An open, affirming congregation, FUMC Melrose invites the community to
“Find Your Purpose at FUMC Melrose” by working together for food security. A Melrose-based hunger relief and food rescue nonprofit, The Food Drive has distributed over 850,000 pounds (425 tons) of food in cities and towns north of Boston since its formation in late 2020.
For questions about receiving or donating meals, please contact The Food Drive at 781-214-1030 or fooddrivemelrose@gmail.com.