At the Kitchen of Kindness volunteers busy at work, cooking, packaging, and delivering *** warm meal to neighbors in need. You know, some people are not able to cook, they’re going through, you know, they’re going through something difficult and they don’t have the time and headspace to do that or they can’t afford it. Complete with bread, pasta, cookies, and more, this meal is completely kosher, following religious rules for the ingredients. And utensils used and how the food is prepared. The need we know is important and the more we do it, the more we see how important and how necessary it is in our community. Rabbi Levy Wolansky says it’s *** blessing for the people getting the food. Just like anybody else will be sitting tomorrow night for dinner with *** full meal. Why shouldn’t they? And for the people making it. I’ve also recently retired, so it’s nice to be. Not just laying on the couch but getting out and being with other people. We talk *** lot about kindness, but here this gives opportunity for people in the community to come together and actually do kindness. Kindness is what this program is all about. Kindness is *** muscle which is so important. to exercise not just you know once in *** while, but something that can really become part of our natural routine of doing things. Each meal sealed off with *** handwritten note of encouragement and support. I’ve worked behind the scenes and other community projects, but I’ve never actually written *** note to somebody, and that felt really nice. So it’s not only just about the food which is being made, which is at the top quality. But it’s more than it’s, it’s the fact that people know they’re not alone. Since starting earlier this year, Kitchen of Kindness volunteers typically meet once *** month, but they’re eager to expand to more meals and more volunteers in the future. And this is about bringing goodness and light to the world, and we just hope we can keep on doing this more and more. Reporting in Portland, I’m Jamie Ajoa, Maine’s total coverage. If there are champions in your community, and I’m sure there are, who deserve recognition like these volunteers at the Kitchen of Kindness, let us know. You can send an email to community champion@ Hearst.com. We love to see those emails come in.
‘Kitchen of Kindness’ sharing free Kosher meals in Maine
Updated: 10:56 AM EDT Jul 18, 2026
Kitchen of Kindness, a volunteer-led meal program run out of Chabad of Maine, is creating a new source for connection and community in the Portland area. Since starting earlier this year, volunteers typically meet once a month to cook, package, and deliver warm Kosher meals to neighbors in need. Rabbi Levi Wilansky said, “Some people are not able to cook. They’re going through something difficult, and they don’t have the time and headspace to do that or they can’t afford it.” Each meal typically includes traditional challah bread, soup, salad, an entree, and cookies. They’re all prepared following the Jewish laws for which ingredients and utensils can be used and how the food is prepared. “It’s a need we know is important,” Wilansky said. “The more we do it, the more we see how important and necessary it is in our community.” He added that this rare Kosher meal service is a blessing to both the people getting the food and the volunteers making it. Jonathan Zuckerman is a volunteer who recently retired. He said, “It’s nice to be not just lying on the couch but getting out and being with other people.” Zuckerman especially enjoys writing notes that will be delivered along with the meal. “I’ve worked behind the scenes on other community projects, but I’ve never actually written a note to somebody and that felt really nice,” he said. Zuckerman wrote that he was thinking of the recipient, and Wilansky said that is what Kitchen of Kindness is all about. He wants people to know they’re not alone, and he wants the volunteers to practice being kind. “Kindness is a muscle which is so important to exercise,” Wilansky said. “Not just, you know, once in a while but something that can really become part of our natural routine of doing things.”Wilansky started the program with his wife. Together, they plan out the menu so that the meals vary. They’re eager to give out more food and welcome more volunteers in the future. He said, “This is about bringing goodness and light to the world, and we just hope we can keep on doing this more and more.” Everyone is welcome to volunteer, and anyone can request a meal through their website.
PORTLAND, Maine —
Kitchen of Kindness, a volunteer-led meal program run out of Chabad of Maine, is creating a new source for connection and community in the Portland area. Since starting earlier this year, volunteers typically meet once a month to cook, package, and deliver warm Kosher meals to neighbors in need.
Rabbi Levi Wilansky said, “Some people are not able to cook. They’re going through something difficult, and they don’t have the time and headspace to do that or they can’t afford it.”
Each meal typically includes traditional challah bread, soup, salad, an entree, and cookies. They’re all prepared following the Jewish laws for which ingredients and utensils can be used and how the food is prepared.
“It’s a need we know is important,” Wilansky said. “The more we do it, the more we see how important and necessary it is in our community.” He added that this rare Kosher meal service is a blessing to both the people getting the food and the volunteers making it.
Jonathan Zuckerman is a volunteer who recently retired. He said, “It’s nice to be not just lying on the couch but getting out and being with other people.” Zuckerman especially enjoys writing notes that will be delivered along with the meal.
“I’ve worked behind the scenes on other community projects, but I’ve never actually written a note to somebody and that felt really nice,” he said. Zuckerman wrote that he was thinking of the recipient, and Wilansky said that is what Kitchen of Kindness is all about.
He wants people to know they’re not alone, and he wants the volunteers to practice being kind. “Kindness is a muscle which is so important to exercise,” Wilansky said. “Not just, you know, once in a while but something that can really become part of our natural routine of doing things.”
Wilansky started the program with his wife. Together, they plan out the menu so that the meals vary. They’re eager to give out more food and welcome more volunteers in the future.
He said, “This is about bringing goodness and light to the world, and we just hope we can keep on doing this more and more.” Everyone is welcome to volunteer, and anyone can request a meal through their website.