REPRESENTATIVES from Maine’s five Red Cross chapters, including the Midcoast Chapter which serves part of Cumberland and all of Knox, Lincoln and Sagadahoc counties, and food pantries representing each region of the state, gather with representatives from the Maine Credit Unions’ Campaign for Ending Hunger at the 9/11 Memorial in Portland. The campaign, which has raised $4.3 million since 1990 including a record-setting $447,000 in 2011, distributed funds to emergency food relief efforts across Maine in honor of the 9/11 anniversary.
At Tuesday’s ceremony, Maine’s credit unions honored and remembered the victims of 9/11 and their families. In addition, the Maine Credit Unions’ Campaign for Ending Hunger, which has raised $4.3 million since 1990 including a record-setting $447,000 in 2011, distributed more than $6,000 of those funds raised to the Emergency Food Relief Fund of each Red Cross Chapter in Maine, as well as to a food pantry located in each Red Cross chapter in the state.
“9/11 brought about a tremendous resurgence of community in Maine and across the country, and helping make sure people have enough to eat and receive assistance during an emergency is what community is all about. The Maine Credit Unions’ Campaign for Ending Hunger has chosen to mark the anniversary of 9/11 in this way each year in recognition of the volunteers who help communities during difficult times,” stated John Murphy, president of the Maine Credit Union League.
The five Red Cross Chapters in Maine that received checks in the amount of $911 each are the Southern Maine Chapter, United Valley Chapter, Mid Coast Chapter, Pine Tree Chapter and Pine Tree- Aroostook Chapter.
The five food pantries in Maine that received checks in the amount of $311 each are the Wayside Soup Kitchen of Portland, Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Food Pantry of Brunswick, St. Mary’s Food Pantry of Lewiston, MANNA Food Pantry of Bangor, and Catholic Charities of Maine of Caribou.
“What a generous gesture on the part of Maine’s credit unions to help us provide food to those in need. We are grateful for what the campaign does and appreciative that our organizations are included each year through this event,” said Carole Evans, interim CEO of the American Red Cross — Southern Maine Chapter, the state’s largest chapter.
“The Maine credit union philosophy of ‘people helping people’ goes hand-in-hand with the Red Cross mission of saving lives and helping people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies,” explained Jon Paradise, governmental and public affairs manager for the Maine Credit Union League.
“As we honor the 11th anniversary of 9/11, it is important to remember both the tragedies that impact our entire nation, as well as those that occur in our communities each day, in what remains a challenging time for many.”
Since 1990, the Maine Credit Unions’ Campaign for Ending Hunger has raised more than $4.3 million to help end hunger in Maine. All funds raised go directly to the cause of ending hunger and stay in Maine.
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