Community Center Receives Simpatico – Italy’s Finest Donation

The St. Michaels Community Center recently received a large donation of Ritrovo pasta from Simpatico-Italy’s Finest in St. Michaels. Md. The donated pasta is being used in SMCC’s food distribution program and for meals served by its Community Café.

The donation comes from Simpatico’s “Share the Love” promotion and includes two cases each of Bucatini, La Romagna, Umbricelli, Mancini Pastificio, and Agricolo pasta, and five pounds of Farabella organic gluten-free spaghetti.

Simpatico’s “Share the Love” promotion began this past winter and will relaunch this fall with the specialty shop donating Ritrovo pasta as a “Buy One Give One” fundraiser for the nonprofit. Purchases can be made at the Railroad Ave. shop or online at  www.simpaticostmichaels.com/pasta-risotto-grains.

From left: Simpatico-Italy’s Finest Owner Bobbi Parlett, with her dog Bella Luce, St. Michaels Community Center Executive Director Patrick Rofe, and SMCC Executive Chef Sean Raspberry stand in front of Simpatico’s Italy’s Finest in St. Michaels with baskets of pasta donated to SMCC food distribution program and Community Café.

“This is an incredible program that is helping to fill our pantry shelves,” said SMCC Executive Director Patrick Rofe. “SMCC provides as many as 250 pantry bags and 300 hot meals to our community every week, meaning this kind of community and business support can make a transformative difference in a person’s life.”

The Community Center’s Food Support Program was named an emergency food hub for Talbot County’s Bay Hundred area by the Talbot County Emergency Task Force in 2019 and continues to provide shelf-stable pantry items and hot meals to anyone in need in St. Michaels and the outlying villages on the peninsula.

SMCC’s food distribution program also includes a community food pantry; a weekend backpack program; Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Women, Infants, and Children nutrition outreach and services; after-school and childcare meals and snacks; summer program participant meals; and more. The Community Center also participates in the Talbot County Hunger Coalition to help eliminate food insecurity for low-income individuals and families in Talbot County.

“We love supporting the St. Michaels Community Center,” said Simpatico-Italy’s Finest owner Bobbi Parlett. “With our shop being across the street from the Center, we see the important work that is being accomplished every day, and we’re glad to help.”

Simpatico, Italy’s Finest offers our customers a wide range of personally selected wines, foods, cheeses, and other artisan products from Italy. Many products are only sold in Italy or through Simpatico.

SMCC’s Community Café and pantry are currently open three days a week to provide meals and groceries for anyone in need, with limited local delivery provided by a group of dedicated volunteers. The St. Michaels Community Center also hosts food drives and holiday meals for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter, along with year-round engaging programs and activities for children and adults.

Proceeds from the Treasure Cove Thrift Shop in St. Michaels, Md. also help the nonprofit provide year-round community programs and services that serve, empower, and connect people from throughout the Bay Hundred area, with more at www.stmichaelscc.org.