More are seeking groceries at First County Food Pantry, fueling need for donations
- Tammy L Wells
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
ALFRED, Maine – There has been an increase in the number of people stopping at First County Food Pantry for food on Tuesdays and Fridays, when the pantry at the corner of Route 4 and Swett’s Bridge Road in Alfred is open from noon to 3 p.m.
It isn’t a surprise. Recent uncertainties over when Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funds would be released and when unpaid government workers would receive their pay packets was expected to bring higher numbers in combination with the lead-up to the pantry’s annual Thanksgiving distribution.
“If things don’t change, our numbers will continue to go up,” said pantry manager Rob Boyd. “There’s not a doubt in my mind.”
And while pantry officials are always thankful for donations of nonperishable food or cash to buy it, this year, those contributions are even more welcome, not only for the Thanksgiving distribution, but to help fill the shelves throughout the season.
Those wishing to make a financial contribution may drop it off at the pantry or at the York County government office building at 149 Jordan Springs Road on Route 4 in Alfred, or mail a check made out to First County Foundation, with food pantry entered into the subject line, to 45 Kennebunk Road, Alfred, ME 04002. More information about First County Foundation, a registered 501C3 nonprofit, is at: yorkcountyfcf.org.
Nonperishable food contributions may be dropped off at the pantry weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For those wishing to donate food, First County Food Pantry is looking for pie filling and pudding, canned or packet gravy, canned cranberry sauce, mashed potato flakes, stuffing, and cake, brownie and cookie mixes.
Some folks – like county government employees, have started an internal food drive to help with the pantry’s needs and are contributing canned fruits, vegetables, soups, stews, tuna, chicken, and beans, along with dried pasta and cereals, baby and infant foods, and more.
About 600 pantry visitors looking to feed their family members – about 1,800 people, received a basket of food during Thanksgiving distribution in 2024, Boyd said, and he expects that number of climb this season. The baskets include all the fixings for a traditional Thanksgiving meal, turkey included.
First County Foundation Board Chair Billy Shore, founder and executive chair of Share Our Strength, the parent organization for No Kid Hungry, recently spent time at the pantry during a distribution. His observations illustrate that hunger is an issue in this county for those in all age brackets.
"Meeting a nicely dressed middle aged man walking into a food pantry for the first time in his life and trying to keep his head held high as he asked how it worked and what he was permitted, was as poignant and moving as anything I’ve ever experienced,” Shore said. "This time at the food pantry brought me back to first principles: there is no excuse for children and families to experience hunger in America. Childhood hunger is solvable. There is much we can’t control but we each can play a role in alleviating hunger in our communities."
For the twice-weekly distribution, First County Food Pantry operates on a supermarket model where folks choose products for their families. Some items carry a limit customers can take – and on a recent day, onions were limited to two per visitor, because the pantry didn’t have a lot, Boyd cited as an example. If the numbers of visitors increase, but food receipts remain at current levels, items that typically are unlimited like salad and bread may have to become limited, he said.
Boyd said typically, the beginning of the month sees 100 to 110 visitors receive enough food to feed their families for a week or a few days, depending on the family size. The 100 to 110 visitors translates roughly into food for 300 to 330 people. Some folks visit the pantry once a week, some twice.
Toward the end of the month, he said, the number of visitors increases to 120 to 130 people each open day – securing food for about 360 to 390 family members. On Oct. 28, they noticed an increase of 10 more visitors, to 140, translating into food for about 420 people.
There has been a food pantry at 5 Swett’s Bridge Road for several years, until this spring when the private not profit York County Shelter Programs Inc. announced they could no longer continue. York County government, which had donated the use of the pantry building to YCSPI, stepped in, and with unanimous approval by York County Commissioners, the pantry operation became part of First County Foundation, the county’s charitable arm.
On a Wednesday morning following Tuesday open hours, the shelves looked bare and typically do on the day following a distribution. And by the end of the month, there are usually few reserves. On Oct. 29, volunteers stocked shelves from items collected that morning from generous regular area donors; typically food is picked up from Hannaford, Walmart, Panera and Congdon’s Doughnuts. As well, Boyd orders produce and meat items that Good Shepherd Food Bank supplies to pantries at no cost. The pantryhas also regularly received a pallet of food monthly from a federal government entity called The Emergency Food Assistance Program – typically offering items like peanut butter, dry milk, grains and dried fruit – and is typically the only time the pantry has reserves.
The drive-thru Thanksgiving distribution is set for Nov 24, 25 and 26 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“No one will go without,” Boyd said.
