HOULTON, Maine — For 25 years, Mildred Madigan has been a pillar of support of the St. Mary’s food pantry.
So it is only fitting that her name will soon be adorn to a wall inside the food pantry, located in the basement of St. Mary of the Visitation Catholic Church. Officials announced Thursday they were changing the name of the food pantry to Mildred Madigan Ecumenical Emergency Food Pantry at St. Mary’s in her honor.
Madigan said she found out the day before Christmas that the church was thinking of renaming its pantry in her honor.
“It was such a wonderful Christmas present,” said Madigan. “It was such an honor and a privilege to have the pantry named for me.”
Madigan said she has seen a large number of people come in for support over the years and some of those individuals later went on to volunteer their services once they were able to get back on their feet financially.
In 2014, the pantry was open for 100 days and was visited by 275 families that included 809 individuals for a total of 2,002 people served during 652 separate visits. Food baskets are filled to provide 9-12 meals for each recipient. In an average week, 19 families, with 56 total people, made an appointment to pick up needed food.
The majority of those visiting the pantry in 2014 made just one visit (45 percent).
“This achievement is possible thanks to a community which cares for its less fortunate neighbors,” said Kathy Dyer. “Generous donations of money and food from individuals, farmers, gardeners, grocers, schools, businesses, churches and the ‘Jelly Man’ enable this ministry to serve the hungry.”
Volunteers donate 1,850 hours of their time to pick up food and to prepare the boxes and bags of groceries, which are given to their neighbors needing food.
Madigan is no longer in charge of the food pantry. That responsibility belongs to Roger and Kathy Dyer.
“I’m going to be 85 years old, so I am trying to scale back,” she said. “I waited a long time to find them (the Dyers) because I was looking for just the right people to take this over. I will still volunteer for as long as I can.”
