Woonsocket woman marks 137,000 meals served and awaits new meal site opening

Jeanne Michon’s New Beginnings has provided more than 137,000 meals since 2018, and she is preparing to open a new meal site on Stanley Avenue after repairs and winter weather caused delays.

Jeanne Michon, founder and executive director of New Beginnings in Woonsocket, has overseen the distribution of more than 137,000 meals since 2018. She purchased a building on Stanley Avenue intended to become a permanent meal site, but opening has been delayed by required repairs and winter weather. While the new location is being prepared, Michon has been using the Woonsocket Senior Center kitchen to cook meals for the Open Door Shelter. New Beginnings grew out of a local soup kitchen and focuses on serving fresh, mostly homemade meals to people in need. Key details: - Michon began volunteering in 1986 and later trained in culinary arts at Johnson & Wales University. - New Beginnings Inc. was established in 2017–2018 with a mission to distribute fresh food several days a week. - Michon says the organization has served more than 137,000 meals since 2018. - She purchased a building on Stanley Avenue using personal savings to create a permanent meal site. - Repairs to that location and winter weather have delayed the planned opening. - While repairs continue, meals are prepared at the Woonsocket Senior Center for the Open Door Shelter, and the nonprofit relies on grants, food banks, donations and partnerships to operate. Summary: New Beginnings has provided long-running meal service and community support in Woonsocket and intends to expand operations at a new Stanley Avenue site. The new location was purchased to better serve people in need, but repairs and weather have delayed its opening. The organization continues serving meals from temporary kitchen space while the timeline for the site’s opening remains undetermined.