Hancock County Food Drive

There is no doubt this has been a long, cold and difficult winter. For those who have to make a choice between food, heat or medication it has been even worse. Fuel prices are down but people are using more fuel to heat their homes because of the record low temperatures. The cost of snow removal is higher for the elderly and those unable to shovel. Many businesses have had to close during snowstorms and many employees aren’t paid for those days. Even the flu has taken a toll on the incomes of those who work jobs without benefits. More than 500 people lost their jobs when the Verso Mill in Bucksport closed. Those workers lived in towns all around the state with the majority of them in Hancock County. All of those factors have created a huge strain on local food pantries. The Fourth Annual Hancock County Food Drive comes at a critical time when donations are typically low and the demand increases.

You can help by donating canned food at more than 90 collection sites around Hancock County. This year’s goal is 15,000 items. Each donated food item will be matched by a cash donation. In addition Geddy’s Pub in Bar Harbor, H & R Block in Ellsworth and Maine Sea Coast Vegetables in Franklin will each give an additional dollar for every item donated at the food collection site in their business. You can win a vehicle cleaning at Stanley Subaru in Trenton by donating a can of food and guessing how many cans it takes to fill a car with food. The person who guesses the closest without going over wins.

All the food and money will be divided between the pantries and community meal sites in Hancock County. You can make a monetary donation at www.unitedwayeasternmaine.org and click on the “Give” button and write 2015 Hancock County Food Drive in the “Special Instructions” box. Checks can be made out to United Way of Eastern Maine with Hancock County Food Drive on the memo line. Checks can be sent to 24 Springer Drive suite 201 Bangor, Maine 04401. Donations of food can be dropped off at sites all over Hancock County. A list of locations is available here. 

For more information please call Marjorie Peronto at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension at 667-8212.