PRESQUE ISLE and HOULTON, Maine — Employees at the Aroostook County Action Program are preparing to mark the first year of a program providing food security to people in Aroostook County, and invite the public to join in the festivities.
Both offices plan birthday celebrations in honor of the Presque Isle and Houlton Community Cupboards’ one-year anniversary of serving the public. Events will be held concurrently from 12 noon to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 30, at ACAP offices at 771 Main St. in Presque Isle and 91 Military St. in Houlton.
In lieu of traditional birthday gifts, ACAP staff are encouraging people to bring donations of nonperishable food items to help stock the cupboards.
On Aug. 31, 2016, ACAP staff mounted a wooden cupboard to an exterior wall near the Presque Isle location’s front entrance. At nearly the same time, the Houlton center also launched a community cupboard inside the lobby area of their Military Street facility. Some community members visit to leave food items, while others take what they need.
The cupboard in Presque Isle has served those who need it 24 hours a day, seven days a week, while people can access the Houlton cupboard during office hours. Before long, the project began to inspire other communities to follow suit.
Heidi Rackliffe, LSW and ACAP case manager, said the agency knows of about four other cupboards throughout Aroostook County, including Mars Hill, Washburn, Mapleton and Perham.
“The cupboards are used more than we could have ever imagined, verifying that the need is out there,” she said. “They are stocked by the generosity of the community and used by our neighbors.”
With one in four Aroostook County residents facing food insecurity, the cupboards seem to fill a need. In addition, the ability to access the cupboards privately seems to appeal to many people who might otherwise avoid a traditional food pantry. The success of the project is evident by how often the facilities are used.
Last year ACAP invited local gardeners and farmers to share their bounty, adding locally grown vegetables like zucchini, cucumbers and squash to the cupboards. While ACAP staff primarily support the stocking of the Houlton Center’s cupboard, they do accept donations from the community. Staff also regularly bring in food to help stock the Presque Isle cupboard location, but the community is a primary contributor as well, and ACAP continues to welcome the donations.
“It is evident, by the use of our cupboard and the others that have since been added, that a critical need is being met as it relates to food insecurity in our region. As we mark the first anniversary of this great community partnership, it is my hope that the milestone will encourage more people to help stock the shelves of these important local resources,” said ACAP Executive Director and CEO Jason Parent.
Rackliffe said there will be sweet treats available to those who stop by at either of the ACAP offices for the birthday celebrations. While the events will bring recognition to the service the cupboards have provided in the community this past year, they will also serve as an opportunity to raise awareness of how hunger impacts our neighbors in Aroostook County.
She added it’s important to note that the cupboards are not a long-term solution if people are facing food insecurity, and anyone who finds themselves depending on a cupboard daily should come in to the office and talk to staff about options.
