GREAT BARRINGTON - Dozens of people lined up Wednesday afternoon to receive meals as part of the Berkshire South Regional Community Center’s Nourishing Neighbors program.

Executive Director Jenise Lucey said, “We have a pretty strong collaborative community here in the southern Berkshires, and many people came forward and said that they knew that they had people that needed meals.”

The center gives out 500 meals every week and Lucey says they buy all the food from local restaurants.

“The restaurants have been great. You know, they are looking for ways to keep their staff employed and looking for ways to keep busy, so each week we aim to have four restaurants serve 125 meals," Lucey said. 

In addition to a grant from Berkshire United Way, the center has received more than $7,000 in donations.

A team of volunteers also helps the center’s staff hand out the meals. Lucey says she’s grateful for the community’s support.

“We have had over 100 people ask to volunteer already for the program, which has just been tremendously heartwarming," Lucey said. "So as this continues on, we will be probably calling on some more people.”

Lucey says food insecurity is an issue in the southern Berkshires and the pandemic has increased the need for available meals.

“We’ve received so much feedback already in the first week about how valuable this has been. People have just been so happy to both receive the people coming to their door to help them and also to just have that extra meal," Lucey said.

 For those unable to com pick up a meal at the center each Wednesday, delivery requests can be made by emailing meals@berkshiresouth.org.