What do you know about the Boothbay Region Food Pantry? This beautiful fall season seems like a good time to take stock of who we are and what we are about.

You probably are aware that the pantry is located on the ground floor of the Congregational Church of Boothbay Harbor, although it is an independent nonprofit organization. It was founded jointly in 1968 by members of the congregations of Our Lady Queen of Peace and the Congregational Church. That said, all the other churches in our area are gratefully listed among our supporters.

The Congregational Church generously gives us space at no cost, allowing us to be open every Friday of the year from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (except for the day after Thanksgiving, when we take our annual one-day break). To better serve our clients, we are also open from 5 to 6 on the second Monday evening of every month.

I don’t believe that we have ever had a fundraiser. Donations from generous people living as seasonal visitors or year-rounders in the target areas of Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor, Edgecomb and Southport have kept our heads above water for the 51 years of our existence. Once in a while we have submitted a plea for financial help in the Boothbay Register. The response from our community has been, without exception, stunning. We also have secured grants for specific items, e. g., freezers and, most recently, a much needed van to pick up large quantities of food from Good Shepherd Food Bank in Lewiston, from Hannaford, and from nearby farms.

Our board of directors numbers 24 persons, all of whom are vitally needed for weekly food pick-ups, to staff our weekly distributions, for communications, for brainstorming at our monthly board meetings. Have you served on local boards?  There can be none as active and eager to work as ours. If you want proof, come to one of our meetings, held at noon on the second Tuesday of each month, except during July and August. During recent months we have welcomed five new board members: from Boothbay Harbor, Barbara Fritz, Peter Gardner and Duane Lewis; from Southport, Jane Southworth; and from Boothbay, Kathleen Younger.

Our officers are: co-presidents Fleet Davies and Tom Wilson; vice president Greg Barter; treasurer and assistant treasurer Betsy Wing and Ursula Smith, respectively; recording secretary and correspondence secretary John Lunt and Jane Lunt, respectively; and volunteer coordinator Richard Annino.

The Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays are fast approaching. We have already started sign-up lists for food pantry clients interested in receiving special food boxes for each of those holidays. The Thanksgiving and Christmas/Hanukkah boxes, individualized by family size, will contain potatoes, squash, onions, frozen peas, cranberry sauce, apples, dessert mixes, and a voucher for a turkey or chicken (Thanksgiving) and ham or chicken (Christmas/Hanukkah). The boxes will be distributed on the Saturday before each holiday, i.e., on Nov. 23 and Dec. 21 between 10 a.m. and noon.

The Boothbay Region Food Pantry would appreciate donations to help meet holiday needs. Checks may be addressed to BRFP and mailed to the pantry at P.O. Box 63, East Boothbay, ME 04544.

Giving to the pantry provides direct support to needy families in our region.  We have no administrative costs. Thank you for your ongoing generosity.