Community cooks deliver meals to support Melmark New England

As non-essential businesses across the state temporarily close their doors, residential schools in Massachusetts maintain their daily operations to serve their students who live on campus as well as homes in nearby community settings. At Melmark New England, a 766-approved private school in Andover serving the needs of children and young adults with autism spectrum disorders, acquired brain injury, and other neurological diseases and disorders, many staff continue their work in the eight residential homes that remain open during the crisis.

To support the students and staff, Melmark leadership has paired with local restaurants to deliver lunch and dinner during the weekends to its residences. Through financial support from family and community members, the partnership helps alleviate the on-campus meal preparations that typically occur inside the homes, allowing Melmark staff to maintain their focus on providing children and adults educational, clinical, and rehabilitative services. The food delivery also helps local restaurants in need of financial support during a time of social distancing that has excluded dine-in options at these neighborhood businesses.

“Many of our residential staff are volunteering to work overtime, while our day program staff are picking up shifts in residences to ensure the individuals who call Melmark home receive the full continuum of care Melmark always provides,” said Helena Maguire, Executive Director, M.S., LABA, BCBA. “Through this project, we have been able to show our gratitude to our highly skilled staff, who continue to put mission first for every individual we serve, every day,” added Maguire. “It’s also a way for Melmark New England to support the local economy, by working with restaurant partners who are in need of financial support.”

In early April, Salvatore’s at Riverwalk in Lawrence cooked and delivered meals to residents at Melmark New England. Salvatore’s is also a vocational partner with Melmark New England, working with Melmark students and staff on career training. Other recent meal deliveries through the partnership included The Claddagh Pub in Lawrence, owned by Melmark parent, Brian Farrell. Farrell donated freshly-cooked meals, which his team delivered for the students and staff over the following weekend. The meal deliveries continue to receive an outpouring of support on social media.

Rita M. Gardner, M.P.H., LABA, BCBA, Melmark’s President and CEO, says the organization plans to continue the meal delivery partnership with additional Andover and Lawrence-based restaurants and thanks the generous and devoted families that stepped up to underwrite this community effort.

“This type of community backing reinforces that our staff are essential in every sense of the word,” said Gardner. “As non-essential businesses close, our staff must continue Melmark’s 24/7 work to ensure our most vulnerable citizens in the Commonwealth receive the education and care they need and deserve,” added Gardner.

If you have any interest in participating in this meal preparation partnership, you can contact: Ellen Kallman, Director of Advancement at 978.654.4371 or ekallman@melmarkne.org.