More families, elderly turning to food pantries

Christmas is the time of year when people feel compelled to help, not just family and friends, but others in need. Local food pantries can always use another dollar or can of food, particularly with the increasing need by families and the elderly for assistance.

Whiting food pantry now serving 240 families
The largest food pantry in Washington County is the Whiting Community Food Pantry, which is open each third Wednesday of the month from 2 to 7 p.m. Located in the 3 Angels Community Seventh-day Adventist Church, it serves Dennysville, Edmunds, Trescott, Lubec, Whiting and Cutler.

Bill Sawtelle of Dennysville, the owner and director of the food pantry, notes that the client list has grown considerably since Lubec closed its doors and the Whiting Community Food Pantry opened. "It's gone from 46 families to 240 families. If you come in, I make them up enough food for two or three days. If you need me, just call and come back anytime. I'll make sure everybody gets enough food. If they live closer to Eastport or Pleasant Point, I give them the info to go there, but I never turn anyone away."

He adds, "I feel real good when I know people are happy. I'm awfully glad to serve them." On food pick-up days, he and his wife Ann serve hot coffee and tea, sandwiches and cookies, so that people don't just grab their bags of food and run out. "They're like a big family. They talk and help each other."

Sawtelle is especially concerned about his elderly clients. "We've got the senior citizens messed up with Medicare. They've found out they've got to pay for medicine themselves."

This Christmas season, Sawtelle says, "We can certainly use more help. We could use money to buy food from Good Shepherd [Food Bank in Lewiston]. They deliver to our door and have lots of good buys."

He is grateful for a recent WABI-TV fundraiser that garnered about $900 for his food pantry. In addition, the Regional Medical Center at Lubec has been generous. "They just gave me six big boxes of food."

When he took over the food bank from Lubec one year ago, Sawtelle points out that he only got "three tables and a hand truck," but he has invested his own money and equipped his food pantry with shelves and shopping carts. The 100' x 40' space contains six freezers and two refrigerators, "and I have three freezers at home if there's an overflow."

In addition to being supplying food to needy people, Sawtelle says he is working to have the Whiting Community Food Pantry be a central location if there if a disaster such as the 1998 ice storm. "People would know that this is a place where they could get food and blankets and spend the night," he points out. "I'm going to see if FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency] could find us a generator. We have one, but it's just small."

If anyone needs assistance, Bill Sawtelle urges them to call him at 726-4722.

Labor of Love Food Pantry
Once again the four classes at Shead High School in Eastport are competing to see which one can collect the most food for the Labor of Love Food Pantry, and the winning students are treated to a pizza party.

And for the 15th year, students from Nick Gamertsfelder's U.S. government class at Shead will deliver baskets containing turkey and Christmas dinner to families in the area on December 21. The number of baskets has risen to 150.

"How pleased we are that the high school students are helping us again," says Colin Windhorst, president of the Greater Eastport Ecumenical Churches Association, which oversees the Eastport food pantry. "We couldn't do it without them."

As usual, GEECA church congregations are donating the following items for the baskets: St. Joseph's Church of Eastport and St. John's Church of Pembroke, stuffing; Christ Episcopal Church, cranberry sauce; Central Congregational Church, apples; Grace Fellowship Church in Pembroke, squash; Unitarians, fresh carrots; Congregational churches in Dennysville, Perry and Robbinston, vegetables; and Blakey Memorial Methodist Church, rolls.

"If people would like, they can sign up with Fern [Garrapy] for the food baskets," points out Windhorst.

The building fund has reached $61,000 for the new Labor of Love Food Pantry and Nutrition Center on County Road. "The thermometer is correct," notes Windhorst, referring to the informational sign in front of the new building that is the food pantry's future home. "Right now we're working on the interior. We aim to have it open next year, but we need funds for insulation, sheetrock and electrical installation. We're certainly grateful for every bit of help that we receive."

The Labor of Love Food Pantry is open every Tuesday from 9 to 11 a.m. in the lower level of the New Beginnings Church of God on High Street.

Assisting the needy at Sipayik
St. Ann's Passamaquoddy Food Pantry at Pleasant Point is administered by Mary Lou Barnes, who says it serves approximately 45 households. "On average, we give out nine meals -- three days worth," she estimates. "In September we gave out a total of 378 meals. That would be to 98 individuals."

"Generally, this time of year is tougher for people. There's an increase in the colder months," she notes. "They have to pay for fuel and lights, so the food goes quick here."

Barnes is assisted by Fred Francis, Dottie Barnes, Molly Newell and Sherrie Mitchell. "We all work here, but we have to buy groceries to stock the shelves, and we have food pick-ups so that takes from our time at work."

Right now, the food pantry is in need of just about everything, including frozen meats. "We received an award for turkeys from WQDY, but there's no money right now for other foods," notes Barnes. "FEMA comes in January or February. This time of year there are no extras. Any non-perishable food is appreciated."

St. Ann's Passamaquoddy Food Pantry is located in the tribal office building and is open the same time as the building, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. "If there's any emergency over the weekend, call the local dispatcher, 853-2551."

Serving the Calais area
The Irene Chadbourne Ecumenical Food Pantry on Main Street in Calais is open every Thursday from 10 a.m. until noon, and Director Carmela Walton says, "We're hanging in there. I do the best I can. Everything that is donated is useful to us. I've done the November tally, and we served 2,662 meals. Each person is afforded enough food for 12 meals."

Although she sees a variety of patrons and a rise in the number of young families with children, 90% of the people who drop in are senior citizens.

Walton notes that 95% of the ICEFP's food is donated, and she purchases items such as hamburger, hot dogs and chicken with donated funds. "I have two freezers and a nice refrigerator. I'm able to [empty] a case of eggs every two weeks. That's 30 dozen eggs." Staples include juices, soups, peanut butter, vegetables, spaghetti sauce, spaghetti, tuna, rice, canned milk, cereal, baked beans and macaroni and cheese. On her "goodie shelf" can be found items such as pancake mix and syrup, bottles of olives and ketchup.

"I try to give people enough combination of things so they can make a spaghetti dinner or a corn chowder," she notes. "Right now I have turkeys, because we got 300 from the recent food drive. I've had them quartered and that's a good amount for a single person."

Every Thursday, Walton's husband James goes to the Shop 'N Save in Calais, and the store donates all of its sweets and breads that it was about to pull off the shelves.

A committee made up of representatives from St. Anne's Episcopal Church, Immaculate Conception Church, the First Congregational Church, Second Baptist Church and the Methodist Church oversees the food pantry, and Walton points out that every week a different church sends five members of its congregation to assist, "and the Mormon boys help, too. Everyone works very well together."

"The Palmer Street school sends two children most of the time," she adds. "They come with a supervisor and carry out bags for seniors. They're a joy to have around. They work hard, and I miss them when they're not there."

"I want to thank everybody for their donations," says Walton, who has worked at the ICEFP for 10 years and is in her second year as its director. "It's appreciated and helps to fill the bags that are distributed to people who are hurting really bad this year."

She notes that, although she has no money to give to people who ask for fuel assistance, Walton took it upon herself to ask the participating church congregations to donate winter jackets for "all sizes and all ages" and she has them hanging in the food pantry's hall. Walton even tries to keep toiletries on hand, since food stamps won't pay for items such as toothpaste and toilet paper.

If anyone needs extra help or emergency food assistance, Walton says they can call her at 796-0826.