Kennebunk and Kennebunkport officials reported that residents combined to contribute nearly 3,000 pounds of nonperishable food and nearly $2,500 in cash donations on Election Day.

The annual Stuff the Bus event benefits Community Outreach Services.

Karen Winton, deputy director of community development for the town of Kennebunk, reported that citizens visiting the polls in Kennebunk donated 1,442 pounds of food and $550.14. Alison Kenneway, director of public health in Kennebunkport, said that 1,405 pounds of food and $1,931 had been collected on in Kennebunkport.

“We were extremely pleased with the amount of donations brought to the bus in Kennebunk on Election Day,” Winton said. “A presidential election is typically a super opportunity to collect donations, as turnout is usually much higher than other elections. With the amount of early voting that took place, we were wondering how the donations would be affected and actually expecting a lower than usual response.”

Kennebunkport’s first Stuff the Bus event was in 2008 and spearheaded by the town’s Health Council and former Town Nurse, the late Judy Barrett.

“Kennebunkport’s Health Council is a group of volunteers from our community,” Kenneway said. “The Health Council’s mission is working to develop and enhance programs to benefit the health and welfare needs of the residents of the town of Kennebunkport. Stuff the Bus was a program they began in 2008.
“It was so successful that it has been ongoing ever since twice a year at the June and November elections. We live in a very generous community. We have collected many thousands of pounds of food along with thousands of dollars for the pantry.”

Kennebunk’s first Stuff the Bus was held in 2016 when 1,130 pounds of food and $625 were donated, Winton said. Subsequent food drives yielded donations of:
• November 2017 – 1,297 pounds and nearly $1,500;
• November 2018 – 1,215 pounds, $1,458.66;
• November 2019 – 727 pounds, $1,044 (“Very low voter turnout and terrible weather,” Winton said).

Despite the record-setting amount of early voting in last week’s election, donations continued to accumulate on Election Day.
“Not surprisingly, in a community as generous as ours, people responded in a big way,” Winton said. “We had many people drive up to the bus simply to make a food or cash donation, having already voted in days or weeks prior. One generous donor made a point to let us know her donation was made in memory of longtime Kennebunkport Public Health Nurse Judy Barrett.”

Stuff the Bus drives are held during elections in June and November, with donations from all three towns given to Community Outreach Services.

“Each year, we like to hold a friendly competition between the towns to see who will collect the most in donations,” Winton said. “Safe to say that no matter who comes out ahead with those totals, it’s the three towns and our local food pantry who truly win.”
Community Outreach Services provides assistance to residents who face challenges with food, fuel or specific emergencies in Arundel, Kennebunk and Kennebunkport.

For more information, visit www.coskennebunks.org/.

 

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