Samantha Bowen, left and Debbie Benson of Southern Maine Health Care pack squash as part of the annual Thanksgiving basket distribution at York County Shelter Programs food pantry on Tuesday. About 1,400 baskets were expected to be distributed. TAMMY WELLS/Journal Tribune
ALFRED — By the end of the day on Wednesday, about 1,400 Thanksgiving baskets, filled with turkey, potatoes, canned vegetables, stuffing, gravy packets, squash, apples, pie and cranberry sauce will have been distributed to families from the York County Shelter Programs Inc. food pantry on Swetts Bridge Road in Alfred.
It is a figure that has remained virtually unchanged for the last several years.
Volunteers helping out at York County Shelter Programs Inc. food pantry Thanksgiving distribution on Tuesday were employees of Southern Maine Health Care and their children. From left are, front row: Caylin Marcotte, Debbie Chessman, Casey Marcotte and Brydon Marcotte; back row: Troy Marcotte, Debbie Benson, Samantha Bowen, Christine Bougie, JoAnne Langlais and Kelley Johnson. TAMMY WELLS/Journal Tribune
The good news is, because of the generosity of those who make donations, those 1,400 York County families will be able to enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.
“The need remains constant,” said Diane Gerry, chief operating officer for York County Shelter Programs Inc. “It is a sad truth that people in our community have a need for this service. However, our neighbors and larger community always help us to meet the need. We are glad to provide these Thanksgiving meals and will continue to work on connecting people to resources that reduce their need for the pantry.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service reported in September that 14.4 percent of Maine households are food insecure, while the national average is 11.8 percent. Maine is ninth in the nation for food insecurity, defined by the USDA as a household-level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food.
On Monday, people from Berwick Academy volunteered to pack and hand out food baskets; on Tuesday, Southern Maine Health Care employees pitched in. Other volunteers helped out as well. Today, several more individuals will help make sure everyone who shows up gets food for the holiday table.
Inside the pantry on Tuesday, the volunteers from Southern Maine Health Care chatted as they filled bags for those who would soon arrive. The snowstorm slowed Tuesday’s pace a bit – 428 baskets were handed out on Monday, said food pantry director Mike Ouellette, and today is expected to be equally busy. Distribution was scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. today and wind down at 4 p.m.
A month from now, the same process will take place as the food pantry makes its Christmas distribution. Ouellette said about 800 to 900 baskets go out the door for the Christmas holiday.
“I love it,” said Donna Chessman, one of the SMHC volunteers as she bagged up some apples on Tuesday morning. “I’ll do it again next year.”
“I love to see the smiling faces,” said SMHC volunteer Debbie Benson, who was sporting a cheerful Thanksgiving ornament on her SMHC cap.
Troy and Casey Marcotte of Wells were also among the eight SMHC volunteers, and so were their two children, Caylin and Brydon, because their school was closed for a snow day. Caylin helped her mother check in recipients — people are asked their name, what town or city they live in and how many children and senior citizens are in the family — while Brydon handed out the frozen turkeys.
Caylin is a member of Girl Scout Troop 978 that made a $20 contribution to SMHC’s “Turkey Bucks” fundraiser, while Brydon’s Boy Scout Troop 356 hosted a food drive for the pantry at St. Mary Church, amassing more than 2,200 pounds of food, their parents said.
The “Turkey Bucks” fundraiser made by SMHC employees raised $3,315 for the effort, about $800 more than in 2017.
Ouellette, the food pantry director, said donations like the one from SMHC help YCSPI purchase the items they need to make the Thanksgiving distribution possible.
Casey said she told the Girl Scouts how their donation, along with those from others, made an impact.
She and her husband volunteered at the pantry last year and said they were glad to do so again.
“We’ve been fortunate to be able to do it,” Troy said.
“We’ve always been community people” said Casey. “Community is important. Life is too short not to help each other out.”
Raynore Ducharme was among those who stopped by for a basket.
“It is helping a lot of people,” she said of the annual program.
Because of the Thanksgiving distribution and holiday, the food pantry’s regular hours, noon to 3 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays, will resume next week.
— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 780-9016 or twells@journaltribune.com.
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