Demand high at food pantries

Food pantries in Washington and Charlotte counties are dependent upon the generosity of volunteers as well as financial patrons.
Lynn Rutledge, head of the Greater Eastport Ecumenical Churches Association (GEECA) that manages the Labor of Love Nutrition Center and Garrapy Food Pantry in Eastport, says, "It's been a busy year with an average of 150 to 200 households needing us per month."
"We have been getting from five to 10 new registrants per month," she adds. "We gave out 138,000 pounds of food in the past year."
"People can have one box of staples per month but can come in for produce and personal products as many times as they want. "
"One person said, 'I couldn't make it without your help,'" says Rutledge of the range of clients. " Someone else said, 'You have a very nice place with good people.' And people love the fact that, because of our walk-in cooler and freezer, Labor of Love can have fresh produce and frozen meats."
Anyone wishing to make a financial donation can go to the website <eastportlaboroflove.org>, choose a one-time donation, or donate on a regular basis, as well as choose where they want the funds used, including insurance or where it is needed most.
The Labor of Love Food Nutrition Center and Garrapy Food Pantry is open for regular food distribution on Fridays from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m., the second Tuesday of the month from 9 to 11 a.m., and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 12 noon.

Lubec pantry offers choices
Clients from Cutler, Dennysville, East Machias, Edmunds, Lubec, Machias, Machiasport, Pembroke, Trescott and Whiting are being served by the Lubec Community Food Pantry. Director Nancy Harrison reports 103 households and 247 individuals were served in the month of November, and 104 households and 273 individuals were served during the month of December.
"We have an amazing group of volunteers who make everything work," reports Harrison of the pantry, which is based on the choice model. "We have a great relationship with the ARISE program, whose members faithfully show up to help distribute the food."
The Lubec Community Food Pantry is normally open in the former Lubec High School on the third Wednesday of the month from 1 to 3 p.m., but in January, February and March it will also open on the third Saturdays of the month from 8:30 to 10 a.m.
"We have the funding so we can also have a meal of the month for anyone over age 50 in the community, and on January 12 it will be a breakfast from 8:30 to 10 a.m."

Calais food pantry feeds many
The Irene Chadbourne Ecumenical Food Pantry in Calais serves clients from Vanceboro to Edmunds this winter. In addition to the five churches supporting it -- St. Anne's Episcopal, First Congregational, Second Baptist, Immaculate Conception and United Methodist -- the thrift shop brings in money to help pay expenses.
The Irene Chadbourne Ecumenical Food Pantry is open on Mondays from 3 to 5 p.m., Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 12 noon, and Fridays from 1 to 3 p.m. For more information, call 454-8553.

Campobello helps neighbors
Donna Barker of the Campobello Food Bank, which opens on Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in St. Anne's Anglican Church, says of this winter, "We are doing good. We are serving a lot of people, which include the elderly and mothers with kids."
Twenty-six food baskets were given out at Christmas, "and I know we helped a lot of people."
For more information, call Barker at 506-752-2131.

Big hearts on Grand Manan
Barb Foster, one of the Action Ministries volunteers who staff the Grand Manan food bank located in the Pentecostal Assembly basement, says islanders have been very generous in supporting their neighbors who need assistance.
Independent Grocer has given support by setting up a program in the store where they will put a couple of items in a bag by the register for people to buy for the food bank. The thrift store in Castalia is also a source of assistance for islanders.
Foster says a new infusion of volunteers would be a big help "because there are not as many as we need. And some go south in the winter."
"This winter, Action Ministries has helped people with their power bills and travel to Saint John," she adds.
Hours for the Grand Manan food bank are every Tuesday and Friday from 1 to 3 p.m. For more information, call Barb Foster at 506-662-3585.

Deer Island in good shape
Joyce Stuart has been assisting with the Deer Island food bank since 1989 and says, "We are in pretty good shape. We are just opening today [January 9] since Christmas, so we should be fairly busy, but no one called in an emergency."
After the fire at Paturel's lobster processing plant last March, which initially threw 100 people out of work, Stuart says, "We were inundated. But it isn't a problem for us now. Within a couple of weeks, people found jobs or, if their work visas expired, they went home."
For more information on the food bank, call Stuart at 506-747-2053.