Closure of city's grocery store leaves many shoppers in limbo

The closing of the only grocery store in Eastport has raised alarms, as some in the city who are unable to access food now available only at stores miles away are seemingly left with few options in what has become a food desert.

Bob Cousins, an Eastport resident shopping at the now‑closed IGA only days before it shut its doors, summed up the crisis, worrying in particular about those who are elderly, disabled or lacking transportation. "I've seen people come here with walkers and motorized scooters," says Cousins, whose wife worked at the IGA as a cashier. "It's going to be very hard on this town."

That's why a group of Eastport people have come together to make people aware of the options that are still available after the store's closure. As a first step, the group, loosely titled Neighbors to Neighbors, has put together both a Facebook page under the same name and a poster that will be distributed on social media and posted around town. Both provide information on everything from free vegetable distributions in Eastport to services offered by other grocery stores in Washington County.

To ensure people are able to take advantage of these resources, however, Tessa Ftorek says that people need to take it upon themselves to make sure their neighbors have what they need. "People need to look out for their neighbors and say 'Do you need something? Can I pick something up for you?' We need to help each other  whether it's picking up groceries or helping out with an appointment. Be observant. Who have you seen who walks to the grocery store?"

Included on Neighbor to Neighbor's list is the free vegetable give‑away at the Eastport Senior and Community Center, 1 Staniels Road, which occurs on the first Monday of every month at 10:30 a.m. However, due to Labor Day, the next give‑away will occur on Monday, September 14.

"Anybody can come," says Dale Devonshire, president of the center. "Just bring a bag. Come and pick up some for your neighbors. Just bring a bag for them."

The Calais IGA will take phone orders for people as long as the shopper has a credit, gift, debit or EBT account to pay in advance. The order can then be picked up in Calais at the store.

The Eastport Labor of Love Food Pantry at 137 County Road opens every Friday from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. to distribute food to people with demonstrated needs. Emergency boxes of food can be requested by leaving a message on the pantry's answering machine.

The poster also gives information about nearby grocery stores and outlines how people can get groceries delivered from Walmart. Under the Calais store's membership program, deliveries can be made to some areas of Eastport. If a person needing help doesn't live in one of the approved areas, pick‑up can be arranged with the store in advance at either the Eastport Municipal Airport or Quoddy Farms.

The Family Dollar store at 63 County Road in Eastport does have limited amounts of food items available and accepts SNAP payments. The next closest grocery store, the Perry Farmers' Union, accepts SNAP as well.

In the near future, Shead High School will also offer food items for students and their families, says Principal Melissa Mitchell. This food pantry project, funded by a $15,000 grant from the John T. Gorman Foundation, will also be offering take‑home meals, holiday food boxes and emergency food supplies for families in need.

Two umbrella informational resources are Healthy Acadia and the Community Caring Collaborative (CCC). Both exist to pair up services with needy residents.

Healthy Acadia is a nonprofit that serves both Hancock and Washington counties; its goal is to help people with basic needs, everything from housing to recovery to food security. To access the service, people can go to its website, <healthyacadia.org>, and tap the "Need Help" button.

"We connect people with resources," explains Jasmine Haines, the Washington County food programs manager for Healthy Acadia. "If you reach out, we'll figure out the best path to solve your problem."

The CCC is in partnership with 45 agencies to help protect Washington County's more vulnerable residents. One program run by CCC is the Connection Initiative, which people can contact with questions about how to get help, according to Dante Zanoni, program manager for the initiative.

"They can reach out to us, they can call us, they can go to our Facebook page or our website, both called The Connection Initiative, and then we follow through," Zanoni says. "People can use us as a conduit. We can help in any we can. Our promise is we're always there."

Eastport resident Martha Moholland says it's vital that information about alternatives to the IGA be made available. She had just emerged from the IGA during its last days in operation with a cartful of items, but she knows access to groceries will be a problem. "It's sad for everybody but especially the people who don't have a vehicle and can't get out of town," Moholland says. "I'll be heartbroken for these people."

And that's why it's so important to connect with neighbors, says Eastport Councillor Karen Raye. "Check on your neighbors. We all know who lives in our neighborhood and probably know who needs help. Reach out."

Tribe votes against purchase

For the 21 full-time or part-time employees who lost their jobs, the Maine Department of Labor has been helping them with finding new employment, which some have obtained.

As for a potential new owner of the store, rumors about possible buyers have been circulating around Eastport. City Manager Brian Schuth says, "The city is keeping a close eye on any developments. We're hoping that private parties will be able to work out a solution, and if not we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

During their general election on September 8, Sipayik residents were asked in a referendum vote whether the chief and council should explore the purchase of the R&M IGA, subject to completion of due diligence. They voted against pursuing the possible purchase of the store by a vote of 237 to 152.

In addition, the Eastport Port Authority board, at its September 3 meeting, unanimously affirmed that the port authority has no part to play with acquiring the store at this time. If the grocery store is closed for a long period, then the port authority might consider whether to play a role.