
Project FEED volunteer Gisele Bougie, right, helps a client select food items at the pantry’s new location on Brighton Avenue. Sophie Burchell / The Forecaster
The food pantry Project FEED has opened in a new location in Portland after having to temporarily leave its operating space in Woodfords Corner. Now located at 640 Brighton Ave., the volunteer-run, donation-operated pantry can continue to provide free food and toiletries to anyone in need. However, the new location has only seen an average of less than half the number of clients per day as compared to the previous location, reducing the number of food-insecure households served in Cumberland County per week from 60 to under 30.
“It’s been a slow start, primarily because a lot of our clients haven’t found their way back yet,” said Project FEED board Chair Steve Gray. “We’re running a little less than 50% I would say.”
While its popularity dips, Project FEED continues providing food for anyone that shows up Tuesday-Thursday, from 1 to 3 p.m. There is no income or residential requirements for clients to receive goods.
“It’s very different, but we’re still able to serve our clients roughly the way that we think is important, that is having them choose their foods and trying to have the foods that they want,” said Gray.
Project FEED (Food Emergency Exchange Depot) operated out of the Woodfords Congregational Church since the pantry was founded in 1975 until it had to leave the space in September due to the start of construction on the building. The church sold half of its building to Community Housing of Maine, which is turning it into affordable housing units. CHOM promised to provide space for Project FEED to continue operations once the renovation was complete in a year or longer.
Project FEED faced the possibility of closure in the intermediate year. Searching for a new temporary space proved difficult, as there were many space and zoning requirements to renting affordable space as a low-budget, volunteer-run nonprofit. The hunt was coming down to the wire as Project FEED was still searching for somewhere to move into in September. At the last minute, the inter-church Beloved Community Fund made moving into a suite on Brighton Avenue financially feasible by granting Project FEED funds to rent the space for one year.
Before having to move out of Woodfords Corner without knowing where they would be next, Project FEED volunteers tried to gather contact information from clients so they could alert them of the new address once it was determined. This proved to be a challenge because of language barriers and not everyone having an email address or phone number.
Once the new location was secured, Volunteer Pantry Operations Manager Delene Perley alerted previous clients who had left information with messages in French, Portuguese, Spanish, Arabic and English. She is not sure how widely the notice was received.
“We weren’t really sure how to reach them, but we did make an effort to try to reach them all, and some have come back because of that contact,” she said.
Project FEED volunteers acknowledged that there were plenty who most likely do not know of the new location. Still, they heard that knowledge of the new address spread through word of mouth and people knocking at Woodfords Corner and being redirected to Brighton Avenue, said Perley.
“They seem to find us. Especially with the French speakers I’ve spoken to, they tell each other. They have friends,” said volunteer Gisele Bougie, who has volunteered for Project FEED for 15 years and communicates with many immigrant and refugee clients in French.
Unlike the large basement and food storage area in Woodfords Corner, 640 Brighton Ave. is a former clinician’s office with numerous small rooms and a lack of storage, which brings challenges. Project FEED volunteers have to be more careful about what food items they purchase or donations they accept. There is also less space for clients to wait. If they get their client numbers back up, some may have to wait outside for their turn to select groceries.
“It’s hard to do this. But hey, things change,” said Bougie.
The different layout also comes with advantages. Instead of pointing through a window, clients can walk around the shelves of food and have more agency in their selections.
“One of the advantages of bringing a client into that room, they get to see what the things are,” said Perley.
“Before we got everything and brought it from the shelves, I think this is better, because they feel more like they’re shopping and not that we’re just giving them things,” said volunteer Bettye McNeely.
While Project FEED volunteers hope to reach more people during their time on Brighton Avenue, they are largely relieved to be operating at all and continuing to provide food to the community.
“We’ve heard from a few clients that are just very grateful that we’re back in business. The whole business of food security is a tough one for people who are on the edge, and there are a lot of people who are not getting enough food stamps or other challenges that set them up for a very marginal food existence,” said Gray.
“So it’s good to know that we’re really needed by some people. At the same time, it’s sad that there are a lot of people who do need the basics of food,” he said.
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