Food drive to be part of Hospital Week fun
PRESQUE ISLE — TAMC is coordinating an effort to replenish county food pantries as it reaches out to the community with a number of activities to mark National Hospital Week and National Nursing Home Week May 13-18. Organizers are hoping to bolster their collection efforts by partnering with local IGA stores and by building Aroostook County’s Great Wall of Cereal at the A.R. Gould Memorial Hospital.
A team of TAMC employees is leading the food drive and has been working with local agencies that rely on donations of non-perishable food items. The need for donations is especially high this time of year as local schools prepare to break for the summer season and families who typically rely on school lunch programs are in need of putting another meal on the table.
“This will be the second year that TAMC will be conducting a food and household goods drive. It is exciting that this has become an annual event,” said Laura Turner, TAMC food drive committee chair. “We are very appreciative of the generosity of the TAMC family and of our community.”
To expand on last year’s effort, TAMC has partnered with local IGA stores for drop-box locations and to conduct in-store promotions to their customers. The joint effort will provide added convenience to folks interested in donating to the cause. Drop boxes will be located at Mars Hill IGA, Star City IGA in Presque Isle and Hillside IGA in Fort Fairfield. Additionally, collection boxes will be placed at TAMC’s A.R. Gould Memorial Hospital, County Dialysis Center and North Street Healthcare in Presque Isle; at the Aroostook Health Center in Mars Hill; and at TAMC Health Centers in Ashland, Fort Fairfield, Mars Hill and Caribou.
“Any chance to help the local food pantry, whether it is helping with local frozen storage, shopping carts or food boxes, we’re more than excited to help. We are pleased to partner with TAMC on this special food drive to support our County friends and neighbors,” said Scott Carlin, owner of the three participating IGA stores.
Another innovative add-on to this year’s food drive will happen Friday, May 17 in the Pinkham Entrance area of the Gould Memorial Hospital. Beginning at 10 a.m., volunteers will build Aroostook County’s Great Wall of Cereal with donations of cereal boxes brought to the hospital.
In honor of Houlton Farms Dairy’s 75th birthday, TAMC is partnering with the county business to offer a free Houlton Farms Dairy ice cream sundae to the first 400 people who bring a box of cereal to the Pinkham Entrance at the hospital that day. Each box of cereal will be strategically placed to build the “Great Wall.”
“Houlton Farms Dairy is thrilled to partner with TAMC again, for the second time, to give back to the community and share in our 75th birthday,” said Mary Lincoln of Houlton Farms Dairy.
Food collected during the drive will benefit those served by Homeless Services of Aroostook, Martha & Mary’s Ministries and Catholic Charities.
“This is a hard time for us to get enough food and money to meet the needs of the 25 pantries that we support, so every can and every box is appreciated,” said Dixie Shaw, Catholic Charities program director. “We appreciate people in the community coming together to support our organization, and ultimately, local people.”
