When those in need turn to local food banks for help, it’s not always just food that they need.

There are other essentials, like toilet paper, personal hygiene items, laundry soap, just some of the many things which food stamps do not cover. That’s why seniors living at The Highlands retirement community are stepping up to help.

A month-long collection program of the non-food and yet essential items culminated Wednesday morning when Highlands staff and residents literally stuffed a 24-passenger bus with piles of toilet paper, soap, toothbrushes and other necessities.

“We did something similar at Christmas,” said Highlands resident Sue Backhouse. “And that was just with our neighborhood collecting, so we thought ‘Why don’t we do this campus wide?’ So we did, and it’s taken off like gangbusters!”

Karen Parker, executive director of the Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program could not be more pleased, knowing how much this will assist the approximately 1,300 families in eight area towns which the non-profit helps every year.

“We find they’re really juggling their budgets, working two or three minimum wage jobs and just can’t make ends meet,” Parker said. “It’s all a juggling act, so anything we can provide helps alleviate stress in so many areas of their lives.”

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