Meet Daily Point of Light Award honorees Traci Anello and Debbie Hall. Read their story and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family…

It was the silver lining of the pandemic, according to Traci Anello and Debbie Hall. They’d originally wanted to bring healthy food and cooking lessons to community spaces, but when COVID-19 restrictions went into effect, the two shifted their plans to get food and instruction directly into homes.

Launching The Community Gourmet in January 2022, Debbie, of Kennebunk, Maine and Traci, a resident of Arundel, Maine, have provided meal kits for more than 1,000 people experiencing food insecurity to prepare healthy meals, with the goal of helping teach basic cooking skills as well as providing nutritious meals. Leveraging their skills for good, the two colleagues at Southern Maine Health Care are filling bellies and filling a need in their community, one meal kit at a time.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO VOLUNTEER?

Traci: We think cooking creates confidence. I’m inspired knowing that we can teach people basic cooking skills which in turn can be inspirational for them. We hope that by teaching people they become inspired, and will have the confidence to not only cook food for the family but to have the confidence to do other things.

WHY THIS CAUSE?

Source: Volunteer Duo Combat Food Insecurity and Teach Healthy Eating – Points of Light