Hancock County Food Drive is April 1-30
Post contributed by Eleanor Jones, Hancock County Food Programs Manager, eleanor.jones@healthyacadia.org.
The Hancock County Food Drive is an annual month-long food collection and fundraising project that supports food pantries, free meal programs, and school backpack programs across Hancock County. Every spring, organizations a part of the Hancock County Food Security Network work together to raise funds and collect food providing critical assistance to Mainers at a time of year when food insecurity rates are at their highest. More than one in ten Maine households goes without suitably nutritious food making Maine the most food insecure state in New England. Childhood food insecurity rates in our region are even higher: more than one in six children in Hancock County live in food insecure households. By building resources for food assistance programs, the Food Drive helps to ensure that all people in our community have access to nutritious, affordable food.
Last year, the Food Drive raised $28,148 for 17 food security organizations that collectively serve thousands of community members each month. This year, we aim to raise $40,000 for participating organizations.
HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED?
To meet our goal, a series of fundraising and food collection events will take place throughout the month of April, including a county-wide Kick-Off Collection Event on April 5th and month-long Read-A-Thon and Movement for Meals challenges.
Kick-Off Event
We are kicking off the Food Drive with a county-wide food collection and fundraising event on Saturday, April 5 from 10am - 5pm. Keep an eye out for Food Drive volunteers, dressed in fruit and vegetable costumes, who will be stationed outside grocery stores to collect food donations, raise funds, and rally excitement for the Food Drive, which runs through April 30.
Read-A-Thon
Throughout the month of April, students are giving back to their community and winning prizes by reading as many books as possible. K - 8 readers can support the Food Drive by fundraising money for the amount of time they spend reading in April. You can sign up, find more information, or fill out a sponsorship form at https://www.hcfooddrive.org/readathon. In partnership with some of our local libraries, there are three vegetable/food themed storytimes happening this April.
April 5, 10:30 a.m., Blue Hill Public Library
April 19, 11 a.m., Ellsworth Public Library
April 22, 1 p.m., Northeast Harbor Library
Movement for Meals
Lace up your running shoes or hiking boots, and hit the pavement—or the trails, lake, climbing wall, or swimming pool—and show our local food security organizations we’ve got their backs this April. During this month-long movement challenge, set a goal, encourage your friends to join your team, compete for great prizes, and fundraise for our community's food pantries, free meal sites, and school backpack programs. To sign up or sponsor, register at https://www.hcfooddrive.org/movementformeals. In partnership with our local land trusts and preserves, join us for a walk!
April 13, 10 a.m., Stone Barn Farm / Maine Coast Heritage Trust
April 19, 10 a.m., Frenchman Bay Community Forest / Frenchman Bay Conservancy
April 26, 10 a.m., Woods Trail at the Community Garden / Crabtree Neck Land Trust
April 27, 10 a.m., Surry Forest / Blue Hill Heritage Trust
Cooking Class
Join the Hancock County Food Drive for seaweed cooking classes with Kara from Maine Coast Sea Vegetables!
Saturday, April 12, 10 a.m. to noon
Wednesday, April 23, 5 to 7 p.m.
Why Seaweed? Find out about the nutritious and flavorful wonders of adding seaweed to your everyday recipes. We'll explore the 9 most commonly used sea vegetables harvested on the coast of Maine and how to incorporate them into a healthy diet. Come touch, learn, and taste as we cook together. There will be recipes and samples for everyone to take home. We'll be making Dulse Lettuce & Tomato Sandwiches. There will also be Kelp Krunch and a Sea Seasoned Ranch dip with veggies to taste.
$30 registration fee for adults, and $45 registration fee for an adult and youth under 12. Submit your registration fee here, or pay cash/check at the time of the event. All registration fees are donations to the food drive!
Limited spots available, register here.
Brooklin Food Corps Compost & Onion Plant Sale
Support local food systems and the Hancock County Food Drive by joining the Brooklin Food Corps for a one-day compost and onion plant sale on Saturday, April 26, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Brooklin School. Chickadee Compost will be available at a discounted rate—$1 per gallon self-serve or $15 for 10 gallons delivered within Brooklin. Onion, shallot, and leek plant bundles (48 plants per bundle) are available for $10, with all proceeds going to the Hancock County Food Drive. To reserve plants or request delivery, contact Lisa at 207-412-3601 or arden@brooklinfoodcorps.org.
The Food Drive is organized by the Hancock County Food Security Network, Healthy Acadia, and Heart of Maine United Way, with generous support from Maine Community Foundation, Star 97.7, and Cooperative Extension.