The majority of the food pantries in the Food Security Coalition — which covers Sagadahoc, Lincoln, and northern Cumberland counties — reported an increase in visits in 2019. At the same time, due to more sophisticated supermarket inventory management systems, the pantries experienced a decrease in much-needed food donations.
Food pantries rely on supermarkets and big box stores for food donations of produce, meat, dairy, and nonperishable goods. This decrease in food donations means that they will be forced to fundraise more in the future or find additional sources of food donations.
In this area, a large percentage of the population qualifies for SNAP with an income level at or below 185% of the poverty level (e.g. $47,638 for a family of four) — 66% of the residents in Lincoln County, 55% in Sagadahoc County, and 50% in Cumberland County. This means that many of our neighbors are a paycheck away from experiencing food insecurity or not having reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food.
The Food Security Coalition, sponsored by Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program and the United Way of Mid Coast Maine, brings area food pantries and community partners together on a regular basis to learn from one another, collaborate, and share resources. The Coalition was started in 2006 after the Basic Needs/Safety Net Council of the United Way of Mid Coast Maine (UWMCM) responded to an increased demand for food assistance in the Midcoast region by convening representatives from the organizations responsible for providing food relief to high risk, low-income households. The group concluded that more could be accomplished by working together and formed the Coalition.
The 21 member food pantries and soup kitchens are the Alna Food Pantry, the Bath Area Food Bank and Kitchen Table, the Salvation Army Bath-Brunswick, the Boothbay Region Food Pantry, Friends Helping Community (Bowdoin), the Bowdoinham Food Pantry, Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program (Brunswick), Freeport Community Services, the Jefferson Area Community Food Pantry, the New Harbor Food Pantry, the Lisbon Area Christian Outreach Food Pantry, the Newcastle Ecumenical Food Pantry, the Richmond Area Food Pantry, the Area Interfaith Outreach Food Pantry (Rockland), the Waldoboro Food Pantry, Westport Island Helping Hands, the Whitefield Food Pantry, the Help Yourself Shelf (Wiscasset) and the Wiscasset Nazarene Food Pantry.
The pantries in the Coalition make a huge impact in our communities. In 2019 alone, these critical hunger relief programs were visited approximately 45,000 times by our neighbors in need. The numbers are likely to increase this year due to the upcoming SNAP rule changes.
In response to the increase in demand at the pantries and the decrease in food donations, members of the Coalition have been focused on finding new sources of food donations.
Since September 2019, Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program (MCHPP) has been welcoming large food donations from farms, food manufacturing operations with certified kitchens, local stores, supermarkets, schools, and universities. For example, Gagne Foods donated hundreds of boxes of baked goods just before the holidays, Bath Iron Works gave a generous donation of frozen turkeys (in collaboration with Wayside Programs), the Target in Topsham donated thousands of pounds of frozen goods after the power went out during a storm, and Six River Farms has donated thousands of pounds of fresh produce. These donations were distributed throughout the region, providing a much-needed boost and variety to the food pantries’ inventory. To date, MCHPP has shared nearly 75,000 pounds of food with area food pantries and additional outreach efforts.
You can help. If you are a food producer or food retailer and have a large food donation you would like to share with the pantries in the Coalition, call Ryan Ravenscroft, the Food Bank Coordinator at MCHPP at 207-725-2716, ext. 309, to coordinate any logistics including pick-ups of large donations.
Interested in holding a food drive or picking up a few extra items at the grocery store? Currently, nonperishable items that are in highest demand are canned tuna or chicken, canned fruit or fruit cups, meals in a can (e.g. stew, ravioli, etc.), jelly, boxed cereal, single-serve oatmeal, peanut butter, snacks for kids, and personal care products. Contact your local pantry to coordinate efforts. Food donations of any size will be gratefully received.
To learn more about the Food Security Coalition, the member pantries, and Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program, visit mchpp.org, call us at 207-725-2716, or stop by at 12 Tenney Way, Brunswick.
Sandi Konta is the Food Security Coalition Coordinator for Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program. Giving Voice is a weekly collaboration among four local non-profit service agencies to share information and stories about their work in the community.
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