Alna
The Alna Food Pantry is located on the back lower level of the town office, 1574 Alna Road. It is open Wednesday afternoons from 3 to 5 p.m. All area residents are welcome, no questions asked. Because its main sources are donations, the food items offered may vary. They typically include fresh fruits and vegetables, a variety of frozen items (including meat and fish), dairy products, dried goods, and assorted personal hygiene items. Every Tuesday, an inventory of items available that week is distributed to all residents on the town’s email distribution list, and a printed copy is available at the town office.
Note that the town office is only open from 8 a.m. to noon on Tuesday and opens at 10 a.m. on Wednesday and orders must be placed, either by form or electronically, by noon on Wednesday. Families are encouraged to pre-order items via email: alnapantry@gmail.com, or in person at the town office. Orders are handled confidentially.
Boothbay region
The Boothbay Region Pantry at the First Congregational Church, 1 Eastern Ave., Boothbay Harbor, is open from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fridays. The food pantry serves Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor, and Edgecomb residents. For more information, call 350-2962.
Bristol and South Bristol
Caring For Kids Food Pantry, open 24/7. Take what you need, leave what you can. Between Masonic Lodge and Bristol Mills Fire Hall, Route 130, Bristol. For more information call 677-2924.
The New Harbor Food Pantry is open Saturdays from 9 to 10 a.m. at the United Methodist Church, 6 South Side Road, New Harbor. The Pantry serves all of Bristol and South Bristol. For more information, call 529-2501.
The Pantry is now open for inside food selection. Please remain in your vehicle until it’s your turn to enter the Pantry. Masks and social distancing are required.
The Churches of the Pemaquid Peninsula Cooperative Ministry accept food and monetary donations from 9 to 10 a.m. Saturdays or by appointment. Monetary donations may be submitted by mail to: New Harbor Food Pantry, P.O. Box 106, New Harbor, ME 04554.
Damariscotta, Newcastle, and Nobleboro
The Ecumenical Food Pantry at The Second Congregational Church in Newcastle is open from 9:30 to 11 a.m. every Tuesday. Families from Damariscotta, Newcastle, Nobleboro and the larger community are welcome. Free diapers are available. Clients are allowed inside in limited numbers (six at a time), wearing a mask, to choose own groceries. Help will be provided if needed to load car. If anyone chooses not to go inside, they are still pre-packing food and delivering it to one’s car.
Representatives of the Ecumenical Committee on Homelessness Prevention and Tedford House are available during pantry hours to discuss housing needs. An educator from FARMS at the Y gives out food samples and recipes.
For more information, go to newcastlefoodpantry.org or call Ellen Dickens at 563-1311 or Linda Sandefur at 529-6965.
Jefferson and Somerville
The Jefferson Area Community Food Pantry is open from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays. The Jefferson Food Pantry is located at the St. Giles Episcopal Church, 72 Gardiner Road, Jefferson, for folks from Jefferson and Somerville in need of food. Please bring shopping bags. The director is Allison Brooks. To donate, send a check made out to JACFP and send to Jefferson Food Pantry, PO Box 208, Jefferson, ME 04348.
For more information or volunteer opportunities please call 315-1134.
Waldoboro, Bremen, and Nobleboro
The Waldoboro Food Pantry serves households in Waldoboro, Bremen, and Nobleboro. It is held from 12 to 3 p.m. on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 124 Friendship St., across from the Friendship Street School. Drivers are asked to use the Water Tower Road, remain in their vehicles, and wear masks. For more information, call 520-5100 or visit facebook.com/waldoborofoodpantry. Donations should be made payable to Waldoboro Food Pantry and mailed to P.O. Box 692, Waldoboro, Maine 04572.
Whitefield
The Whitefield Food Pantry in the Calvary Baptist Church, 150 Grand Army Road, is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the first Friday and 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. every Saturday of the month (except Saturdays following the first Friday). They offer fresh produce as available, fresh bread and pastries, frozen meats, and non-perishables. Anyone in need is welcome to come. A face covering is required to enter the pantry.
They thank local farmers and businesses for the fresh produce they have supplied and generosity of community members who have given monetary donations allowing them to buy products not offered by the farmers or businesses. Their mailing address is 123 Philbrick Lane, Whitefield, Maine 04353.
The pantry welcomes volunteers. For more information, call 549-3672 or 549-7014.
Wiscasset
St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in Wiscasset runs the Help Yourself Shelf food pantry to serve area residents in need of food and other items. Honoring COVID-19 protocols, the pantry is currently held in the church’s driveway, 12 Hodge St., Wiscasset, Thursday afternoons from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. A basic box is provided, as well as plenty of opportunities for individual choices. Visitors should check in with the person in the parking lot across the street, then wait their turn as only one car is allowed to enter the drive at a time. Meat, staples, produce, bakery, and hygiene items are distributed. All in need are welcome! For more info: 882-7184. Find them on Facebook.
The Wiscasset Church of the Nazarene Food bank is open from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. every Sunday; drive through only, at the back of the church.
