A new food pantry has opened up inside the Bangor Region YMCA in a partnership with Hannaford Supermarkets, adding to the network of resources for those who experience food insecurity in the Bangor area.
The Y food pantry took its first donation from Hannaford Supermarkets on Valentine’s Day, marking the start of a new resource in the area. Although how many people will be served is unknown, the new pantry is designed to fit in around the hours of others in the area to ensure those who need food have options, Bangor Region YMCA CEO Diane Dickerson said.
“We are an organization that serves people — from babies to 102 years old — so we want to support that entire group of people with the food that we’re able to provide to them,” Dickerson said.
The food pantry has everything from nonperishable items to some more perishable goods in refrigerators. Anyone can use the food pantry, from the young children who attend the YMCA programming to adults, all to make sure people are fed, Dickerson said.
“We’ve worked with Good Shepherd on establishing the hours and the days that are needed, that are not being filled by other food pantries in our region,” she said.
The food pantry’s first official day open will be Tuesday. It will regularly be open 7-8 a.m. Tuesdays and 5:30-6:30 p.m. Thursdays. It’ll be jointly run by YMCA employees and teens from the YMCA Teen Center’s Food Pantry Club.
Work on the food pantry started more than a year ago, but was delayed due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dickerson said. The pantry was a cooperative project between the YMCA, local teenagers, Good Shepherd Food Bank and Hannaford.
Maggie Lincoln, a student at Brewer High School, was one of the teenagers who was a part of the YMCA’s Food Pantry Club. Lincoln, along with other teens, worked on developing the idea and will help run the food pantry.
“I’m always looking to do stuff at the Y. I have been coming here for as long as I can remember,” Lincoln said. “I love the Y and everything they do and want to support them in any way.”
Lincoln and the other teens from the Teen Center also attend the Leader School at Camp Jordan in Ellsworth, a program run by the YMCA designed to teach young people how to serve their communities.
Dave Hart, a member of the Bangor YMCA, is the store manager of the Brewer Hannaford and helped get the project off the ground, Dickerson said.
Hart said he was excited to see this relationship between Hannaford and the YMCA grow, and to give back to the community.
“Hannaford’s mission is to nourish the communities that we’re in. We’re very proud to say that last year we donated 25 million pounds of food to communities,” Hart said. “I’m super proud to be part of both organizations — Hannaford and the YMCA — what they both do for the communities and to be able to partner them together is cool.”
