HOULTON, Maine — Aroostook County branches of Katahdin Trust are playing host to the kick off for the United Way of Aroostook’s first-ever Pantry Project. The goal for United Way is to collect more than 2,500 pounds of food between now and the end of June, which will provide more than 12,000 meals.
Katahdin Trust kicked off the initiative on Nov. 1 and will run it through Nov. 18 to coincide with their annual United Way of Aroostook workplace campaign.
The 15 participating Katahdin Trust branches in Aroostook County that will be accepting donations of canned goods and monetary donations are: Ashland, Caribou, Eagle Lake, Easton, Fort Fairfield, Fort Kent, Houlton, Island Falls, Limestone, Mars Hill, Oakfield, Patten, Presque Isle, Van Buren and Washburn.
“I am continually impressed with the generosity of this area,” said Krista Putnam, vice president of marketing at Katahdin Trust. “The number of our employees and local community members that step up to the plate to make sure families in need have food at the table during the coldest months is simply inspiring.”
The food collected through donations will be distributed through Catholic Charities to local food pantries at no cost. The United Way says 100 percent of the food and funds raised through the Pantry Project stays in Aroostook County.
“Winter is a tough time for a lot of people,” said Sherry Locke, executive director of United Way of Aroostook. “Between heating costs, annual bills, and other costs that go up in the colder months, home budgets get very tight. Having a well-stocked supply at local food cupboards is a necessity for many families in this area, and really highlights the importance of giving at this time of year.”
United Way officials say that there are more than 200,000 food insecure individuals in Maine. The organization says that as many as 1 in 4 children experience hunger in some areas of the United Way of Aroostook’s service area. The Pantry Project aims to make food available to those who need it.
Non-perishable foods like canned goods, peanut butter, beans and pastas are the most needed goods for 2016. Cash donations will also be accepted at Aroostook County Katahdin Trust locations through Nov. 18.
