Maine Community Bank employees present $22,500 to nine local food pantries. From left are: Nicole Regan, customer service Representative; Betsy Boudreau, vice president, marketing director; Jeanne Hulit, president and CEO; Bethany Wilson, marketing specialist. Courtesy photo

BIDDEFORD — Biddeford Savings and Mechanics Savings recently donated a total of $22,500 to local food pantries in their market areas to help fight the issue of food insecurity.

Maine ranks 12th in the nation for food insecurity. People of all ages are struggling to put food on their tables, but the trend is most distressing for the youngest and oldest citizens of our state. One in five children in Maine are considered food insecure, as are 16 percent of our senior population.

Food pantries must rely heavily on donations from area residents and businesses to continue to fill the need. In the first week after the merger between Biddeford Savings and Mechanics Savings, both divisions wanted to address the issue of food insecurity with donations to several food pantries in the communities of central and southern Maine.

“Thankfully, there are many food pantries in our communities working tirelessly to provide fresh food and hot meals to our most vulnerable residents,” said Jeanne Hulit, president and CEO of Maine Community Bank, the parent company of Biddeford Savings and Mechanics Savings. “Our colleagues donate to and volunteer at the food pantries year-round. We’ve seen the need grow, especially after the holidays, and are in a position to help,” Hulit added.

The following food pantries each received a $2,500 donation to purchase food and other nonperishable goods: High Street Food Pantry in Auburn; Biddeford Food Pantry in Biddeford; Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program in Brunswick; Trinity Jubilee Center in Lewiston; Community Outreach Services in Kennebunk; Saco Food Pantry in Saco; Project GRACE in Scarborough; Windham Food Pantry and Clothes Closet in Windham; and Waterboro Food Pantry in Waterboro.

Biddeford Savings and Mechanics Savings have been financial partners to the people of central and southern Maine for the past 150 years. To help carry their commitment to the communities they serve, the two banks merged on Jan. 1, becoming divisions of Maine Community Bank. The merger expands the lending capacity, product offerings, and branch service area, while keeping all decision making at the local level. They have branches in Auburn, Biddeford, Brunswick, Kennebunk, Lewiston, Scarborough, Waterboro, and Windham.