HANCOCK COUNTY, Maine (WABI) – Maine’s congressional leaders are pressing the U.S. Department of Agriculture to reinstate funding for previously approved shipments to Maine food banks.
More than one in 10 Maine households goes without nutritious food, according to current statistics.
A month long community-led food drive is hoping to to help drive down those numbers.
It kicks off on April 1.
“We are neighbor helping neighbor and the people we see at the pantry are our neighbors,” says Max Dietshe, a member of the Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry all-volunteer Board of Trustees,
Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry in Ellsworth is one of 17 organizations being helped by the Hancock County Food Drive this year. Their grocery store type setting serves more than 2,000 families annually.
“You start knowing some of the people,” notes Denny Ihle, also a Board of Trustees member and long tine volunteer. “And they don’t come in hanging their head. They come in, they look at you and they smile.”
“We will actually purchase in 2025, $338,000 worth of food,” adds Dietshe. “But that being said, the small donations, the food drives, it all adds up to a picture of us keeping going and doing this.”
During the entire month of April, both non-perishable items and monetary donations are being collected for food pantries, community meal sites and school backpack programs all over Hancock County. RSU 25’s backpack program helps up to 25 families in the Bucksport area.
“That’s how we keep the program going,” says Heather Lyons Rawcliffe, a social worker for RSU 25. “It is by the food drive, it is by the anonymous donors that we have in the community. It’s by the kids that want to help pack the bags. It’s huge.”
This is the 14th year for the food drive. This year, concerns about cuts to federally funded food insecurity programs are fueling the need even more.
“Pantries really appreciate hygiene products,” notes Eleanor Jones, Hancock County Food Programs Manager at Healthy Acadia. “And some baby products because those aren’t always donated. And they are more expensive. A lot of backpack programs really prefer individually packed snacks.”
This year’s goal is to raise $40,000. Those on the receiving end say any donation is priceless.
“I think it’s a sign of hope. There’s a lot of stuff going on in the world right now,” says Dietshe. “And that gets put aside when the the community helps the community.”
For more information on the Hancock County Food Drive including a list of places where you can drop off donations or make a financial donation, log onto https://www.hcfooddrive.org/
You can also check out their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/hcfooddrive
Saturday, April 5 is the kick off event. From 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., participating groups will be set up at 12 locations around Hancock County, collecting donations and answering questions about the food drive. There’s also a good chance you’ll see some dancing carrots and strawberries as well.
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