WE’RE BACK . . . A hearty welcome to SKIP guests, volunteers and supporters!



We are happy to announce that SKIP will reopen for its 32nd season on Monday, November 6. We’ll once again be serving lunch in the dining room of the Provincetown United Methodist Church (PUMC) at 20 Shank Painter Road. (SKIP is not affiliated with any religious organization and compensates the Methodist church for use of its property and facilities.)

Besides offering a nutritious, hot meal, we remain dedicated to providing a time and place for area residents to find companionship during the long off-season’s isolation. Everyone is welcome, and meals are always served free of charge.

Lunch will be served Monday through Friday, from 12:30 PM until 1:30 PM. If available, second helpings are served starting at 1:15 PM. As in recent seasons, Friday to-go meals will be available for the weekend.

Guests are free to select up to two meals to eat at dining-room tables or to take out. To-go meals are available for the homebound and those unable to dine on-site. Although guests can not bring their own containers because of Board of Health rules, they can bring their own bags or reuse those provided.That helps SKIP reduce the $15,000-plus it spent last season on packaging materials.

'Tis the season for us at SKIP to start thinking about the holidays. Thanksgiving dinner is already being planned, with turkeys on order. We’re looking forward to serving up a feast! And plans for one of our biggest fundraisers of the year, December’s Souper Saturday, are also in the works (more details on that to come).

A hearty thank-you to all the volunteers, staff, board members and donors who make our meals and companionship possible. 

See you soon!



Phil

 We’re Busy Preparing for Our Guests

SKIP Board members, friends and staff have been busy preparing the kitchen for our new season. Many projects have been completed:

• A small sink to be used exclusively for hand washing has been installed.
• New oven thermostats have also been installed. 
• The refrigerator room adjacent to the kitchen has been repainted and the kitchen walls were washed down.
• New stainless steel prep tables have been installed. 
• All our dishes and utensils have been washed and sanitized. 
• New LED lighting has been installed throughout the building. 

Since we are serving an increasing number of guests in a limited time in a small kitchen, SKIP must prepare its meals as efficiently as possible. Luckily, our kitchen continues to be led by Chef Gina Larkin who knows how to make it happen. Her healthy and tasty meals have been praised in our guest surveys. 

Thanks also go to our other staff members who are returning, Paulo Salvador and Didier Corallo, as well as our 10 hard-working unpaid board members and over 100 volunteers. We could not do it without them!

REMINDER:

Volunteer Orientation Tuesday, Oct 31

11:00

Calling out all new and veteran volunteers! Join us for our annual orientation meeting this Halloween, 10/31 at 11! We will be gathering at the Provincetown United Methodist Church located at 20 Shank Painter Road.

New volunteers are especially encouraged to attend to get a better understanding of how SKIP operates. All current volunteers are urged to attend to hear of new protocols and procedures. We will answer any questions at that time. Snacks will be served! We are looking forward to seeing all of you!

Nancy Johnson and Chris O’Neill co-leaders of The Cape and Islands Lasagna Love will be joining the SKIP lunch on Tuesday November 14th to inform us about the program.

Lasagna Love, founded in 2020, is a global nonprofit and community impact program that connects neighbors through gestures of kindness, goodwill, and support. The organization aims to positively impact communities by connecting neighbors through homemade meal delivery. The nonprofit has brought together more than 48,000 volunteers in all 50 states as well as Australia and Canada and abides by a trio of guiding principles: to feed families, spread kindness, and strengthen communities.

Lasagna Love fosters a culture of positivity, empowerment, empathy, zero-judgment, and maintains a steadfast resolve to deliver comfort when needed most. The organization’s seminal purpose is: exist to assist. To request a meal, become a volunteer Lasagna Chef, or to nominate a recipient for a Lasagna Love delivery visit www.lasagnalove.org



SKIP SCOOP is introducing you to Peter Maye for this month’s SKIP Board Member focus. Peter was born and lived in Jamaica until age 12 when he moved with his family to Washington, DC. After graduating high school in DC, he attended the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut and spent his career in a variety of advertising positions. He spent 10 years in retail advertising, then worked for AOL when they were just starting out. Peter continued his advertising career working nearly 20 years for Discovery Communications, whose networks included the Discovery Channel, The Learning Channel, Animal Planet, and many more. 

Peter and his husband John first moved to Ptown part time about 20 years ago. They loved Ptown for its LGBTQ acceptance, friendly atmosphere, and beautiful summers. They still go back and forth between Ptown and DC, and raised their son Isaac on traditions like Thanksgiving at the Red Inn and Christmas in DC. 

Peter said they have always been a volunteer family, volunteering both at neighborhood events and in corporate volunteer settings. He has volunteered for AIDS events, the public radio & TV phone banks, Georgetown University Hospital, and was the Executive Director of this year’s DC’s Arts in Foggy Bottom, among other things. This makes Peter’s volunteer work at SKIP just the next step in a long line of good causes. He loves what SKIP stands for and what we do, and has come to love many of the amazing, friendly people who work here and who really want to help. He enjoys meeting regular and drop-in lunch clients.

Now that John & Peter are both retired, don’t look for them to sit around the house. They are great travelers who often meet up with family and friends on trips around the U.S. and abroad. For their upcoming winter trip to Maui in 2024, they plan to volunteer with World Central Kitchen, an organization headed by chef José Andrés, to cook and feed residents and people helping to rebuild following the devastating fires on Maui.

Frank Christopher, owner of The Club and a supporter of SKIP, is also a playwright. “BEYOND BLUE LIGHT”, a play written by Frank, was given a reading on October 6th at The Club. It was directed by and starring Lea Delaria as Marla, with SKIP volunteer Brett Parson in the role of Topher, and Frank reading the part of the narrator.   

“BEYOND BLUE LIGHT” is a classic 2 act, 2-person dark romantic comedy set in NYC Circa 2004. Topher and Marla, “the last of the Mohicans”, middle aged, New York artists, meet at Topher’s apartment after one fabulous night together to discuss, or is it confront, the idea of moving in together. 

The cast gave a fabulous reading, with plenty of wit and enthusiasm.

The Club presented the reading as a benefit for SKIP. We are grateful to Frank and The Club for their continuing support of SKIP.

Getting ready for the opening of SKIP goes beyond ordering food, creating menus and organizing the kitchen. Recognizing that Narcan training is a community need, SKIP’s board of directors and staff participated in training provided by Brad Badgley and Eliza Morrison of Aids Support Group Cape Cod. Said one board member, “it is more important than ever to get Narcan into lifesaving hands, which is often the first person who finds someone that may be experiencing an opioid overdose.“ 

ASGCC provides free Narcan distribution and training at their sites across the Cape and Islands. Please visit or call the Provincetown ASGCC for more information about their Narcan services (Drop-in Center: 508.487.8311). 

Join The Club this November for a special townie priced pre fixe dinner and help SKIP serve more meals. For every pre fixe dinner you order, The Club will donate $5 to SKIP. For more details and reservations visit www.theclubptown.com

Here's How You Can Sponsor a Lunch 

To help meet its expenses, SKIP is again offering its Sponsor a Lunch program. For a $500 donation, participants can cover the cost of one day's lunch for more than 175 people. Co-sponsorship is available for a $250 donation. Sponsorships are acknowledged on the “sponsor board” at each lunch and in Facebook postings. 

Sponsorships can be made in your name, in another’s name, or in memory of anyone you chose. Some donors have made donations to celebrate birthdays, weddings and anniversaries of folks they know. Just indicate how you want your gift listed when you request it. You will be given the next available lunch. 

Sponsorships or donations of any amount may be made online at www.skipfood.org/donate, or by sending a check to SKIP, PO Box 538, Provincetown, MA 02657. Because SKIP is a 501 © (3) non-profit, gifts are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

The Soup Kitchen in Provincetown (SKIP) is a local charity that's near and dear to Provincetown artist John Choly’s heart. Choly will donate 50% of the sales price for every "PROVINCETOWN MOON" or "PROVINCETOWN VIEW" print sold. These prints are limited edition and signed, when they're gone, they will not be reprinted. They are on sale and are available framed or unframed. Buy a pair and receive an even bigger discount!  Visit Choly's website for more information:

www.cholyheartsandmoons.com

The Soup Kitchen in Provincetown has been selected to receive $1 from every Bloomin' 4 Good bouquet sold during the month of November 2023 at your local Stop & Shop located at 56 Shank Painter Road, Provincetowm, MA

CROP SWAP. SKIP provides funds to stock this year-round dispenser of fresh produce at least once per week. You may take whatever fresh fruits and vegetables you need, free of charge. Crop Swap is located in the Ptown Library, 356 Commercial Street, to the left as you enter the front door. There is a refrigerator for perishable items and shelves with bins for non-perishables, such as potatoes and squash. The fresh produce goes fast so look for a posting on the Facebook Ptown Community Space page to know when produce is added and please bring your own bag. Anyone interested in volunteering or providing regular donations can email araff@clamsnet.org

COMMUNITY OUTREACH. We have built partnerships with Helping Our Woman (HOW). We provide them with food gift cards to distribute to those in need. Please contact them if you are food insecure. Contact info follows:

HOW - 508-487-4357 | info@helpingourwomen.org

HPC - 508-237-7042 | provincetown@hpccapecod.org

SKIP - 508-487-8331 | office@skipfood.org

LIST OF FOOD RESOURCES. A list of the many places to get free food is maintained by SKIP. The list includes food pantries at the Provincetown United Methodist Church, the Council on Aging, Helping Our Women, the Unitarian Universalist Meeting House, and others. If you’re unable to receive food from these sources, feel free to contact SKIP by email, office@skipfood.org, or by phone at (508) 437-8331. Get the list of places to get free food at PROVINCETOWN FOOD RESOURCES or contact the SKIP office, contact info above. 

10/31 11:00 AM ------ Volunteer Orientation

11/6   12:30 PM ------ SKIP Reopens

11/23 12:30 PM ------ Thanksgiving Feast

12/2 11:30 AM - 2:30 PM ------ Souper Saturday

12/25 12:30 PM ------ Special Holiday Lunch

GINA LARKIN, Executive Chef| PAULO SALVADOR, Office Coordinator

DIDIER CORALLO, Dishwasher/Utility Person

SKIP Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 10-2/Phone: 508.487.8331

If you'd like to contact the editor, please email us at newsletter@skipfood.org.