GARDINER, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- When you’re stuck at home with no electricity, the basics can become a challenge. Things like heat or water...or cooking. That's why a business in Gardiner decided to help dozens of local families have a hot meal.
Emery’s Meat and Produce on Tuesday was giving away big bowls of homemade chicken stew. Owners Leon and Denise Emery said it just seemed like a good thing to do. Families without power could bring in a bowl or other container and have it filled for free.
"And we had people offer to pay for it we don’t want them to pay for it, that’s OK.," said Leon Emery. "This is our part of saying thanks to the community, customers or no customers, homeless or the rich, it doesn’t matter. It's all about who we are and what we can give back to the community."
They cooked up 25 gallons of stew. Denise said she used to be a cook in the Navy, so making a big recipe was no problem.
The people who got the food said they were thankful for the help and happy to know someone cared.
"I think is wonderful, I think its wonderful somebody is paying it forward," said Linda Rankins, one of many without power at home.
The Emery's themselves said their own home is out of power, too, one more reason hey empathized with their neighbors.
The Emery’s said they planned on enough stew to provide dinner to sixty families.