I have been serving with Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program for over a decade, but my tenure as executive director is still new. I take this responsibility seriously, and I deeply value the trust that has been placed in me to lead this organization and community into the future. I look forward to what we hope to achieve in the coming year (my first full year in the director’s chair); the opportunities are nearly endless, but the theme is constant: connection.

Through our programs, we will strive to connect individuals and families to the resources they need to live more financially sustainable lives. We do that by continuously expanding and improving our services. Visits to our food pantry were up 36% in 2023 from the year prior — a staggering figure that indicates an increase of hundreds of visits per month. While this increase represents the stark reality that thousands of families in Maine are struggling financially, we appreciate that our expansion to the Brunswick Landing in late 2022, and our fundraising efforts, have helped us to accommodate this growth and meet the increased needs of these families.

In addition, we will connect guests, staff, volunteers and community representatives from all walks of life, building empathy, camaraderie and mutual understanding for the greater benefit of our community as a whole. You cannot fully understand the value of a food pantry visit at MCHPP until you watch a volunteer play with a young child while their parent shops for free groceries. What is received from that interaction is not only food, but also compassion that impacts everyone involved.

As an organization, we will focus our efforts on collaborating with others that are partnering in this work. While serving the basic needs of people in our community, we will also support policy advocacy work to help alleviate the root causes of food insecurity. At MCHPP we are uniquely positioned to be able to serve as a connecting link between the reality of today’s struggles and the day to day work that must be accomplished to alleviate them, while also working towards the opportunities for tomorrow’s solutions.

Similarly, while cooking delicious, locally based meals for our guests, we will support the viability and success of small food businesses and startups, engaging in economic development to connect constituents across the nonprofit and for profit divide. We will bring volunteers and small business owners together in a shared Community Kitchen space, and provide opportunities for mutual learning and sharing of food and knowledge.

As we head into the new year, we must remember that connection carries incredible value. We can improve the quality of life for our neighbors through food, conversation, and kind gestures, at MCHPP and elsewhere. I was reminded of this, as I am each year, while serving Christmas at the Soup Kitchen alongside a group of dedicated volunteers. We connected with each other, as well as those who may otherwise have spent the day in solitude, serving up 154 meals and a big helping of holiday cheer! I hope to connect with more of you in 2024 as you access services, donate, or volunteer here at MCHPP.

Hannah Chatalbash is executive director of 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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