Thanks to some very generous members of our community, Boothbay Region Food Pantry is, once again, going to be able to issue our customers every 28 days special vouchers to be used at our local Hannaford. These vouchers will be in addition to the ones that we regularly offer to help pay for perishable basics such as milk, butter, bread and eggs, with the amount available determined by the size of the household. The upcoming vouchers will be for purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables as well as meat or seafood and can be picked up with the vouchers for staples on the day of the customer’s regular pantry visit.

We have always managed to provide shelf stable items as well as the vouchers for perishable basics every four weeks even when our funds were running low. At each visit the customer fills out a grocery list by checking off what they would like from our regular stock. A pantry director then takes the list and pulls the desired items from the shelves, which contain everything from breakfast items like cereal, juices, coffee, tea and cocoa to flour, sugar and oil for cooking projects, as well as easier items to prepare like beef stew, pasta and sauces, baked beans, tuna, mac and cheese, etc. At that visit our neighbors can also choose to have eggs, cheese and various deli items as well as frozen meats. While the cart is being filled inside the pantry the customer can choose whatever they need from tables full of produce and baked goods and from coolers chock full of miscellaneous salads and sandwiches supplied by Hannaford along with soups from the Rotary Club. When local vegetables are in season there is amazing produce supplied by Veggies to Table, Twin Villages Foodbank Farm and neighbors whose love to garden exceeds their ability to consume.

We realize that there are many on the peninsula who might find Boothbay’s Food Pantry very helpful these days, but who are unable to come in the middle of the day on Fridays, either because they can’t leave their jobs without being penalized or they have no transportation. If this is the case a call to the pantry phone (207-350-2962) is likely to come up with some solution. Otherwise, if you can come to the lower level of the Congregational Church on Townsend Avenue some Friday between the hours of 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., it is easy to sign up: simply check one of several boxes and sign a form to claim eligibility. Fill in the provided grocery list and we will fill your bags! Your privacy will always be respected. For more information check out the Pantry’s Facebook page or website. We are here to help.