Food pantries in Washington and Charlotte counties are holding their own as the colder months of winter begin, and all are dependent upon the generosity of volunteers as well as financial patrons.
     The Labor of Love Food Nutrition Center and Garrapy Food Pantry in Eastport was so busy in 2016 that four hours were added every Friday afternoon. "The food pantry is moving ahead full steam," says Colin Windhorst of the Greater Eastport Ecumenical Association (GEECA), which manages the food pantry. "We had a good response to our recent fundraising letter and have received 50 gifts with all levels of financial assistance."
     "We delivered nearly 300 Christmas baskets this year, with help from about two dozen volunteers, including the Shead High School seniors."
"Right now we want to be able to transport fresh produce from Calais so that we don't have to worry about freezing. And we need to keep our frozen food frozen. That's important when you're transporting 1,000 to 2,000 pounds of food at a time, usually in pick-up trucks."
     Windhorst says the ideal vehicle to serve the food pantry in Eastport would be a 14-foot enclosed trailer in good condition with climate control "so we could adjust temperatures in regard to what we're carrying."
      The Labor of Love Food Nutrition Center and Garrapy Food Pantry is open for regular food distribution on Fridays from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. and the second Tuesday of the month from 9 to 11 a.m.. Emergency food distribution is on Tuesdays from 9 to 11 a.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m to 12 noon.

Need growing at Lubec food pantry
     The former Whiting Community Food Pantry moved from the Three Angels Seventh Day Church in Whiting to the former high school in Lubec last January and is open on the third Wednesday of the month from 1 to 4 p.m.
     "We're doing OK," reports Lubec Community Food Pantry Director Cathy Arrington. "In fact, we're running very well. We have incredible volunteers, as well as a tremendous amount of financial help from the community."
     "Our need is growing," she adds. "The number of people coming in for help is not shrinking."
     The food pantry is serving 147 families, which includes 315 people, and they are coming from Cutler, Dennysville, East Machias, Edmunds, Lubec, Machias, Machiasport, Pembroke, Trescott and Whiting.
     "We want to be a Choice Pantry," says Arrington. "We're still packing boxes for people, and we're hoping that people will be able to choose what they want. Now we have plenty of room to do that."
"When we took over last year, we kept it the same way on purpose for an easier transition. Now that everyone is comfortable, we'll begin the change."
     For more information, call Arrington at 207-733-6113.

Calais pantry registers 900 families
     In Calais at the Irene Chadbourne Ecumenical Food Pantry, Len Hanson reports that operations are "good. We have 900 families who have registered, and we are serving clients from Vanceboro and Danforth down to Edmunds."
     "We are also involved in the school backpack program, and our emergency shelter on the second floor of the building is now open."
     "We also have a thrift shop, so we can always use more volunteers who can work three or four hours a week."
     The Irene Chadbourne Ecumenical Food Pantry is open on Mondays from 3 to 6 p.m.; Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 12 noon; and Fridays from 1 to 3 p.m. For more information, call Len Hanson at 207-214-8553.

Donations on Deer Island
     Joyce Stuart has been assisting with the Deer Island food bank since 1989 and says, "We're small but doing very well" at the beginning of 2017.
"We're serving 10 families at the moment, and I don't see that number growing."
     "We're doing well with donations," she adds. "We have a few volunteers, but the eight of us on the committee can look after it ourselves."
     For more information on the Deer Island food bank, call Joyce Stuart at 506-747-2086.

Big hearts on Grand Manan
     Marilyn Cary is one of the Action Ministries volunteers who staff the Grand Manan food bank located in the Pentecostal Assembly basement, and she reports, "We have a pretty good stock on hand, and we distributed food baskets to 64 families at Christmas. We get good support from the community and our Independent Grocer [Save Easy]."
     "There has been more demand this year," she adds. "And there is a maximum amount that we can give families each calendar year."
     "Island Home Hardware had a Christmas wish tree where we left tags for 36 children. Each one had a gift written on it, and people took all of them and purchased what was needed and had to have them back by December 15. Then we delivered them."
     "We are operating a thrift store in the old Castalia Hall, and the profit from that goes to helping people with emergency medical travel expenses and power bills."
"NB Power is very good in helping us when people are having trouble paying their electrical bills."
      Hours for the Grand Manan food bank are every Tuesday and Friday from 1 to 3 p.m. For more information, call Janet Ingersoll at 506-662-3286.

Other Washington County food pantries
     The Machias Food Pantry in the Centre Street Congregational Church is open on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, call Pastor Suzie Maxwell at 207-255-6665.
     The St. Ann's food pantry in Pleasant Point is open on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, call Julie Mitchell at 207-853-2600.