On a Wednesday afternoon, Shane Spillenger is preparing several trays of food. Tonight, the owner of Nanola is serving penne with sausage and meatballs. Each tray is sufficient to feed four people.

“We wanted to make sure there was enough food for a whole family as need be,” Spillenger said.

But these meals are not for his customers. Instead, trays of food are being packed up for those in need. It’s an initiative Spillenger has been doing over the last month.

The idea was spurred by Spillenger and Malta Town Councilmember Tim Dunn as a way to help everyone during this pandemic. Donations from the public keep Spillenger’s staff busy while also feeding those who need the assistance.

“We sort of did this on a whim,” Dunn said. “We weren’t sure what the response was going to be.”

Dunn says in the first week, they served 50 meals; the second week, 40 meals. On this Wednesday, they got another 40 ready to go. By 4 p.m., people begin to arrive as cars pull up to pick up the free meals. Within minutes, half of the trays are gone.

Dunn and Spillenger say they’ve seen people from all walks of life driving through. They want public to know there’s no shame in asking for help, especially during this challenging time.

“What we’re dealing with right now doesn’t discriminate,” Dunn said. “There are people who lose jobs that were making six figures.”

So far, Malta Give to Dine has raised more than $4,600. A $25 donation feeds a family of four. As long as the donations keep coming, Spillenger and Dunn say they will continue to do this.