County Program Offers Fresh Bread To Local Pantries

ORLEANS – A special delivery was made to the Lower Cape Outreach Council last week, courtesy of the Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office.

Fresh bread baked by inmates at the Barnstable County Correctional Facility was donated to the council’s Orleans pantry Dec. 17, as well as to other food pantries across the Cape. 

In a press release, the sheriff’s office said that production of bread through the office’s Community Cooking program has been “scaled up” since November to help better address the growing issue of food insecurity across the Cape. The bread is distributed with the help of the Barnstable County Cooperative Extension and the Waquoit Congregational Church in Falmouth.

“The bread is made and baked by men and women inside the Barnstable County Correctional Facility who are enrolled in a vocational baking program,” according to the release.

The bread was prepared using ingredients donated by Clancy’s Restaurant in Dennis.

The council’s CEO, Katie Wibby, said that baked bread is a difficult item for the council to “source in volume,” despite it being “a common and versatile staple for most households.”

“The scent of fresh bread is often associated with comfort and home which we can all appreciate,” she said. “As a luxury item on Cape Cod with few actual bakeries in our service region, fresh bread enhances meals, making them more satisfying, filling and enjoyable.”

Wibby also applauded the county program’s focus on teaching “new vocational skills” such as breadmaking to members of the community.