SOUTH PORTLAND — Town & Country Federal Credit Union has officially unwrapped its third annual “12 Days of Local Giving” initiative, launching the 2025 season of generosity with a deeper focus on one of the most urgent issues facing Southern Maine families this year: food insecurity.
To kick off the initiative, Town & Country volunteers packed more than 100 bags of food for local families and presented a $2,500 contribution to The Locker Project, helping supply more than 500 additional bags of food for children and families across Portland, South Portland and Westbrook.
The kickoff marks the start of Town & Country awarding nearly $12,000 — a new record — over the course of its “12 Days of Local Giving.” Through Dec. 19, on every weekday, the credit union will award contributions to 12 local nonprofits, many of which provide direct hunger-relief and essential-needs services during what has become one of the most challenging holiday seasons for families in need.
The 12 non-profits that will receive grants are:
• The Locker Project, Cumberland County
• Southern Maine Agency on Aging – Meals on Wheels
• St. Vincent de Paul Soup Kitchen, Portland
• Saco Food Pantry, Saco
• The Root Cellar, Portland
• Wayside Food Program, Portland
• Youth Full Maine, York County
• Biddeford Food Pantry, Biddeford
• South Portland Food Cupboard, South Portland and other communities
• Project FEED, Portland
• Scarborough Food Pantry, Scarborough
• Preble Street Food Security Hub, Cumberland County
“Holiday hunger is a reality for too many families this year, and the need in our community has grown significantly,” said Jon Paradise, SVP of communications, marketing and community outreach at Town & Country. “That’s why our 12 Days of Giving is placing even greater emphasis on organizations tackling food insecurity. We’re proud to set a new record for contributions and to support nonprofits that ensure families don’t go without during the season of giving. ‘Local Helping Local’ is more than a tradition — it’s our mission.”
Kathryn Sargent, executive director of the Locker Project, praised the generous spirit of Town & Country and its passion for helping the community. “So many families in our community are struggling to put nutritious food on the table. Community support for programs like ours is critical. The contribution from Town & Country comes at a time that is especially challenging for families and also challenging for us to keep up with the rising need. We appreciate Town & Country continuing to invest in our child hunger programs year after year with both volunteers and generous financial support.”
Town & Country will continue presenting contributions and showcasing each nonprofit’s impact across its social media channels every weekday through December 19th, spreading awareness and encouraging others to give this holiday season.
As one of Maine’s largest credit unions with nearly 40,000 members, Town & Country is a full-service financial institution offering a wide range of financial products and services to people who live, work, go to school, or worship in Cumberland and York counties. For the past three consecutive years, Town & Country was named “Best Credit Union in the 207” and “Best Mortgage Lender in the 207,”, out of all banks and credit unions, and was named “Best Credit Union” in the Best of Portland competition in 2023, 2024 and 2025, as well. The credit union has approximately $620 million in assets and is part of the largest branch network in the country. To learn more, visit www.tcfcu.com.