Fundraiser established for Saco senior meal program

SACO — Saco Main Street has created a fundraiser that will help local restaurants and the city’s seniors at the same time.

The local community group has launched “Feed our Restaurants … Feed Saco,” an effort to raise money for the city’s Friday meal program for seniors.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the city’s Parks and Recreation Department launched  on April 3 a weekly meal program, offering residents 50 and older a free hot meal to go which they can pick up on Friday at the Saco Community Center from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Those who wish to receive a meal can reserve one by emailing [email protected] or calling 294-2436 by 5 p.m. the day before.

The lunches are provided by local restaurants, which have agreed to charge $5 a meal. The program serves 100 to 200 people each Friday, said city spokeswoman Emily Roy. Meals the first week were paid for by the parks and recreation department, and since then, Saco and Biddeford Savings Institution, Rotary Club of Biddeford-Saco, Age Friendly Saco, Saco Valley Credit Union and Saco Food Pantry have agreed to sponsor meals.

Partnering restaurants include The Golden Rooster, Quiero Café, Ferry Beach Conference and Retreat Center and Ricetta’s Brick Oven Ristorante.

“The Friday meal program is the perfect example of the power of community. It has grown each week and we have continued to gain support from local businesses, non-profits, and individuals. This kind of collaboration is what will help keep the program sustainable. Our two main goals for this program are to provide a free meal once a week to older residents, as well as to support our local Saco restaurants by giving them this business,” said Parks and Recreation Community Outreach Coordinator Amelia Meier.

Saco Main Street described its fundraiser for the meal program as a “double win.”

“We pump needed cash flow into our local eateries and at the same time feed a segment of our population that is at particular risk during this pandemic,” said Saco Main Street officials on Facebook.

To make a donation to Feed our Restaurants… Feed Saco”, go to www.paypal.me/sacomainstreet or send a check with “Feed Saco” in the memo line to Saco Main Street at PO Box 336, Saco Maine 04072.