KENNEBUNK — A few days before the Thanksgiving holiday, someone walked in to the local Hannaford supermarket  and bought all of the “Give a Meal” boxes available — all 140 of them.

The recipients?

Families whose little ones take part in children’s services programs at York County Community Action Corporation, which offers Head Start and Early Head Start in various York County locations.

The boxes are a familiar sight in the supermarkets over the holiday season. They sell for $10 each and are a handy way for folks to help others. According to the Hannaford website, the boxes contain essential foods folks at food banks say are in high demand.

Ericka Sanborn of York County Community Action Corporation said the gift was unexpected, and very welcome.

“It was such an amazing, unexpected surprise,” said Sanborn. “We’re told each box contains up to six meals, so its more than just a one time thing, and will extend into many more opportunities for folks to enjoy a meal. This will directly benefit these students and their families.”

She thanked the anonymous donor and Kennebunk Hannaford.

Kennebunk Hannaford Manager David Cole said he wasn’t working the day it happened, but was told that the anonymous donor came in and was first prepared to purchase 100 boxes. Then, he said, she saw that there were just 40 remaining, so she bought those as well.

It was a first for that store, in that quantity.

“We’ve had people come in and buy 20 or 30 at a time,” he said.

The giving went a little further, too. Those who buy a box to help someone else get a coupon book for themselves. In this case, the donor  asked store personnel to distribute them to random shoppers in the store.

Sanborn said the boxes would likely be spread among the several children’s services locations.

Cole said the generous gesture by the anonymous donor — at $10 each, the gift totaled $1,400 — was heartwarming.

“It is  good to know there are still  good people out there,” he said. “It’s wonderful.”

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or [email protected].