Food Ministries
Food Ministries
First Universalist Church in Rockland has long been involved in food ministries, supporting those in the area who are unable to get healthy meals consistently. Our congregation does know how to cook!
Area Interfaith Outreach (AIO Food & Energy Assistance)
Our church has long been involved in being an active participant of AIO. We have a church representative on the board. Everyone participates by bringing in food donations to place in our bins under the Welcome table. Volunteers bring the collected food weekly to AIO and report to the congregation how many pounds we donated, and what is needed. We also collect items for One Less Worry, which provides personal care necessities and grooming products while raising awareness of need and normalizing periods.
Loaves & Fishes Soup Kitchen
Faith communities take turns serving noon meals on weekends at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Rockland. First Universalist Church in Rockland serves the Sunday meal on 5th Sundays, which happen 3-5 times per year. Our church is well received on these 5th Sundays, bringing loads of homemade casseroles, salads, desserts and sandwiches. We bake lots because we know that people are extra hungry and there usually isn’t any extra money at the end of a 5-week month. People sign up on a poster in the lobby to bring food, and/or to help set up, serve and clean up.
The Landing Place - Meals for Teens
The Landing Place is a youth center that is part of the Knox County Homeless Coalition. We cook and provide meals for teenagers on Wednesday nights. People sign up to cook the food and drop it off, ready for the teens to eat.
Little Food Pantry
Located out in front of our church building, this little food pantry (LFP) was built by a youth in our congregation. Check out the video about how LFP was created, and the other video celebrating its opening in October 2022.