NAPLES, Maine — EDITOR'S NOTE: In the above video, NEWS CENTER Maine's Clay Gordon demonstrates one of the proper ways to take off protective gloves.
We've seen communities all throughout the state stepping up for their neighbors and helping during the coronavirus, COVID-19 outbreak.
Even though the Naples town office is closed, their kitchen area is open helping at-risk seniors and unemployed residents from Naples, Casco, Bridgton, Harrison and Sebago.
It used to be a twice a month food pantry effort….now meals, hygiene items and even masks are given out at the Naples town office daily.
Community members are stepping up and giving off their time, talents and donations to care for their neighbors.
"For those that don't have transportation, which there is quite a few, we just drop off meals during the week…we have volunteers that are ready and available to come and get the meals and deliver them right to their doorstep," said Joanna Moore, the Emergency Meals Coordinator in Lake Region.
John Hawley is the town manager in Naples. Hawley says Naples is a tourist community, this is the time of year where their population is at its lowest.
"Although we are starting to ramp up, we are noticing slight influxes from those from away, are starting to refugees to their summer homes to get away front their areas that they are in, but the people that stay with us here tend to be more on the moderate to the r-income side of the spectrum and do require more services than what people expect in Naples," said Hawley.
Social Distancing Video
These days, over 150 meals a week are given out to at-risk senior citizens and unemployed people.
"Their key focus is providing an open door food pantry two times a month and they shifted that focus to now cooking meals to almost on a daily basis," said Hawley.
"We started seeing that there was an immediate need for emergency food and meals."
That is why Joanna Moore and the volunteers decided to create a Facebook page known as Share the love: LR.
A community page for people in these rural towns to come together and help each other out during this pandemic.
"This is a posting spot to share your needs here in the LR for your household. In these times we need to come together," said Moore about the Lake Region Facebook page.
"We put meals together, we cook together and it's kind of really bound our community as a whole," said Moore.
Luckily many community members have stepped up and are helping out by donating clothing, hygiene items, and even masks!
"We've had people knocking on the doors of our windows in our kitchen, they'll come by and say I need 4 meals to go...we usually have something ready to roll out the door," said Moore.
"Without them..I think... we'd be lost," said Karen Fyffe, one of the volunteers.
It's a community effort in a tiny rural town that is making a huge difference to their neighboring communities and residents.
"I right now..run out and do errands, do the shopping, pick up their prescriptions," said Fyffe.
"You know every town has its population of seniors, and shut-ins and handicap.. but Naples isn't any different," said Hawley.
Volunteers say canned goods are at an all-time low if you would like to donate to their efforts you can drop them off at the Naples town office at 15 Village Green Lane; PO Box 1757; in Naples.
If you live in the Region area, and you need help...the best way to get in touch with them is through their Facebook page or by calling them at 2076153226.
At NEWS CENTER Maine, we're focusing our news coverage on the facts and not the fear around the illness. To see our full coverage, visit our coronavirus section, here: /coronavirus