The Community Meals program at the Johnson United Church will continue with its regular bi-weekly schedule despite worries of its termination when the Vermont State College system announced it had signed a contract with a new food service provider, Sedexo.
Uncertainty over the program was never an issue according to Dean of Administration Sharron Scott. In the requests for proposal, during the process of deciding whether to change food service providers, JSC included the continuation of the community meal as part of its expectations.
“We believe strongly in serving our community and expect that our partners will do the same,” she said.
Director of Experiential Education Ellen Hill, who is very involved with the program, concurred. “This was a non-negotiable part of the agreement,” she said. “Aramark was already doing it. Sedexo said, ‘Yes, we will continue that, we value that as well,’ and committed to continuing the program.”
She noted that for her it was personally uplifting when it became known that Sedexo had agreed to continue the community meals program.
The last meal hosted and provided by Aramark will be held May 9.
It will be a celebration of the volunteers, organizations and community members who have been involved.
A number of people who went through the culinary training program last summer will be attending. “I’ve heard that this special meal will consist of dessert stations, so they are going to have their final meal be a neat celebration of the meal and our neighbors,” Hill said.
The transition from Aramark Dining Services to Sedexo will be made with the help of local businesses.
The three interim meals, on May 23, June 13 and June 27, will be hosted and provided by Ian Miller, owner of The Hub Pizzeria and
Pub, and Meg Loscomb of Lovin’Cup. Sedexo will take over and begin providing meals on July 11.
The meals will continue being served from 11:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month.
Diners will continue to have the opportunity to donate what they can, with over $1000 in proceeds already donated to the Johnson Food Shelf.
