The Good Shepherd Food Bank, whose goal is to eliminate hunger, asserts that Maine is the most food insecure state in New England with one in five children and 16 percent of our seniors at risk of going hungry. The national average of food insecurity in September 2019 was 11.7 percent but in Maine the number was quite a bit higher at 13.6 percent.
Food insecurity is “the state of being without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food.” There have always been food insecure people in Maine, but the pandemic, and resulting loss of jobs, reduced pay and children’s new school schedules have resulted in more people wondering where there next meal is coming from, and your neighbor may be suffering in silence.
Thankfully Gorham Schools promptly recognized this concern and took action by offering curbside pickup of meals in the spring and free breakfast and lunch for all students until the end of the year. But that is not the only safety net in place.
There is the free BackPack Program initiated four years ago by Heather Whitaker, Middle School alternative education teacher, and Jennifer Baker, social worker at Village Elementary School. The program’s $25,000 cost is funded by donations from Gorham residents, businesses, and non-profits. Eighty to 125 students take several meals and snacks home over the weekend in a sensitive, low visibility way by picking up a backpack on their way out.
The Food Closet at GHS open to any student. They can grab a jar of peanut butter or other nonperishables like a toothbrush or some laundry detergent to get them through some rough times.
The Gorham Middle School garden, in its fifteenth growing season, supplies food to the programs above donating 800 to 1,000 pounds to the Gorham Food Pantry and is also used for cooking experiences.
Wayside, a Maine organization created to battle food insecurity, partnered with several organizations to rescue food headed for the trash due to rapidly approaching sell by dates by funneling it to local food pantries. This year they rapidly changed their methods of operation due to the pandemic.
“When food pantries started closing down, we partnered with local charities and case workers to create emergency food baskets which we delivered directly to those most at risk; servicing 900 people per week at its peak back in May,” said Don Morrison, Operations Manager.
One of Wayside’s clients is the Orchard Community Church on Route 114 in Gorham. This small volunteer group has run an effective food pantry and clothes closet for years, assisting hundreds of Gorham residents. They have also implemented curbside pickup for everyone’s safety.
The Gorham Food Pantry (GFP) located in the St. Anne’s parking lot on Route 25 has assisted hundreds of residents and has shown their flexibility by rapidly transitioning to outdoor drive-thru pick up. Board members Wendy and Bill Couch designed new standards for family boxes to be created in advance and pick up streamlined. They also partnered with the Gorham Recreation Department’s Cindy Hazleton to deliver the boxes to elderly shut ins and people without transportation. GFP was servicing 80 households on average before the pandemic but reached a peak of 150 in April and May. Though the numbers have tapered back to near normal, winter is coming and government subsidies are running out. If you need assistance, their Facebook site makes it quick and easy, and they are eager to help.
If you are worried about where your next meal is coming from, contact any of these organizations; they will help find food fast with no documentation required. If you are lucky enough to have a little something extra to share, consider donating or volunteering for them.
GOOD SHEPHERD FOOD BANK: www.gsfb.org
GORHAM BACKPACK PROGRAM: www.facebook.com/GorhamBackPackProgram
WAYSIDE FOOD PROGRAMS: www.waysidemaine.org
ORCHARD FOOD PANTRY: theorchardcommunitychurch.com
GORHAM FOOD PANTRY: gorhamfoodpantry.org