The Food Pantry is happy to announce the transition from using plastic bags to using reusable bags has been made. Clients now use reusable bags, which were donated by Hannaford and Dead River, for carrying their items from the Food Pantry. The Pantry has been so successful in this transition that we are almost out of reusable bags. If anyone has reusable bags they would be willing to donate to the Food Pantry, they would be greatly appreciated.

With the holidays approaching, this might be a time to think about making a donation to the Food Pantry in someone's name or as a gift to someone. Any donation will help fill Christmas baskets and stock the shelves of the pantry at holiday time. Monetary donations are gratefully received on a one time basis, or in quarterly or monthly payments. They may be sent to P.O. Box 63, East Boothbay, ME 04544.

Donations of canned, boxed, or bottled goods may be left at the basement door of the Congregational Church of Boothbay Harbor. If the door is open, please leave your donations in the box provided. If locked, just leave them outside the door. Perishable goods are accepted, but please call Fleet Davies, 207-350-4077, to arrange delivery.

Those clients who signed up for Thanksgiving baskets should remember to pick them up on Saturday, Nov. 22 from 10 a.m. to noon at the pantry. We hope everyone in the Boothbay region will have a happy Thanksgiving.

Another event coming on Dec. 1 is the Fill the Bus drive. This is an event hosted by the Boothbay Region YMCA to benefit the Food Pantry. The YMCA bus will be parked in the Hannaford parking lot to receive donations which will be given to the Food Pantry. This is another way to give to others at this holiday time.

The Good Shepherd Food Bank once again plans to bring its Food Mobile to the Boothbay region on Friday, Nov. 21 and Friday, Dec. 19. It will be in the parking lot of the Congregational Church from noon to 2 p.m. All in need of food are invited to avail themselves of this service. You do not need to be a client of the Food Pantry to take advantage of the Food Mobile. Please bring your own bags.

Information for clients

The Boothbay Region Food Pantry is located in the lower level of the Congregational Church at 125 Townsend Avenue, Boothbay Harbor (enter through the parking lot on Eastern Avenue). The pantry is open every Friday (except the day after Thanksgiving), noon to 2 p.m., with seating beginning at 11:30 a.m. We will not be open on Nov. 28.

If the Boothbay Region School District is closed due to inclement weather, the pantry will also be closed. Clients need to provide proof of residency and household income must be within the State of Maine’s TEFAP income guidelines. If you are picking up food for someone else, please bring a signed and dated note from the person authorizing you to do so.

After all regularly scheduled clients waiting to enter the pantry have selected food from the tables, all other clients are welcome to come to the hall to select any remaining perishable food items.

If you have a food emergency, call the Congregational Church at 207-633-4757 during normal office hours to set up an appointment to get food. The church office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. If the office is closed, call food pantry director Fleet Davies at 207-350-4077 or director Tom Wilson at 207-633-4952.