Though still in the middle of the busy holiday season, we at Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program wanted to take a moment to share our gratitude for everyone who participated in our Thanksgiving bag distribution. With your help, we were able to provide 776 bags of holiday staples and gift cards to our neighbors.
Every year, the impact these bags have for families struggling to make ends meet overwhelms us. Food Pantry Coordinator Devyn shared that one guest teared up upon receiving his bag and gift card. “We were planning on eating something cheap, hotdogs or hamburgers. You don’t know how much it means to have a real turkey this year.”
In addition to Hannaford gift cards, the bags also included fresh vegetables from Crystal Spring Farm, Six River Farm, and the Common Good Garden, canned vegetables from Good Shepherd Food Bank, as well as stuffing and gravy. Whether you donated, helped pack and distribute, or received a bag, we are thankful that you were a part of our biggest Thanksgiving ever. We especially want to thank residents of Highland Green in Topsham, who raised almost $30,000 during their Neighbors in Need drive to support MCHPP’s efforts.
We invite you to join us for our next holiday meal on Christmas Day (Saturday, December 25). The meal of glazed ham with scalloped potatoes and greens will be served to-go from noon to 1:30 p.m. at our Soup Kitchen at 12 Tenney Way.
Though the spotlight on need tends to fade as we change our calendars, we want to remind you that we are still here after the holidays are over. Our on-site food pantry is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and we also have mobile pantry sites in Harpswell (weekly), Bowdoin (monthly) and Lisbon (twice a month). We encourage you to stop by one of our pantries, stock up on groceries and save money during your next trip to the store.
From all of us here at Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program, we wish you a happy and healthy holiday season.
Ari van den Akker is the communications coordinator at 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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