AIO & Waldoboro Schools Collaborate
AIO Food and Energy Assistance, located in Rockland, has been collaborating with Waldoboro schools—Miller School, Medomak Middle School and Medomak Valley High School – for the last five years, providing financial and food assistance that support in-school programs. While Waldoboro is not located in Knox County, AIO recognized the opportunity to help bridge the gap as the schools work to build and strengthen their programs. The child food insecurity rate in Lincoln County in 2018 was 20.2% and is projected to be 26% due to the pandemic, according to Feeding America statistics. Each school operates slightly differently, but the overarching goal remains the same—to keep students and their families fed.
AIO Board President, Liz Jenkins shares, “Food and energy insecurity are very real challenges for our community’s families right now. AIO believes strongly in the power of collaboration—AIO is pleased to be able to support the Waldoboro schools for the last five years, and especially during this unprecedented time during the pandemic. We hope to raise awareness of the need that Waldoboro families face and to show community members ways they can provide support to ensure that families are kept fed and warm.”
Molly O’Rourke, AIO’s Weekend Meal Program Manager, has been working with Miller School, Waldoboro’s elementary school since last summer. Molly shares, "We are so pleased to be working with the Miller School this year, making sure their students and families can participate in the Weekend Meal Program. We now provide meal kits to 39 students at Miller School each week and will continue to have open enrollment for any student that could benefit from the addition of a fun, healthy, nutritious meal kit each weekend. Principal Levensaler is a wonderful advocate for her student population and we're very grateful for all the work the administrators and teachers at Miller School are doing to help address childhood food insecurity in their community." Picture shown is a recent Pizza Night meal kit which was included in the weekly meal kits.
At Medomak Middle School, Mindy Gould, who runs the Ed Tech and Special Ed programs, has run the in-school pantry, called the Community Market, since 2019 when the school’s FoodCorps volunteer term finished. In pre-COVID times kids were able to pick up food bags once a week; however once the schools transitioned to virtual learning Mindy personally delivered food to students and their families weekly. During the holiday season she delivered 11 Thanksgiving dinners and 16 Christmas dinners to families. Since the start of the school in September the Community Market is open twice a week, generally Thursday and Friday. Students can make an appointment and know that they can ask for a food bag anytime. Currently, Mindy has an average of 24-27 kids a week visit the Community Market.
Last summer, Mindy received two COVID relief grants from the Good Shepherd Food Bank. One grant enabled the purchase of two freezers that have expanded the range of food offerings. Mindy shares that students are often making their own meals, so having frozen meals that can easily be heated up makes a huge difference in making sure kids are eating. The second grant allowed her purchase additional food from both Good Shepherd Food Bank and Hannaford which helped meet the growing need since the pandemic started.
When asked what items are most needed, Mindy shares that recyclable bags and personal hygiene products are the critical items. Mindy and the staff are working hard to reduce the stigma around asking for food assistance. Recycled bags make the difference in whether a student will take a bag or not, since the white bags that are generally used are associated with food coming from a food pantry. Recycled bags are also one of the greatest expenses for the Community Market. You can help by purchasing the Fight Hunger Bag from the Waldoboro Hannaford when AIO is chosen as the recipient for this fundraiser - donate the recycled bags to the school, and AIO also receives $1 for every bag purchased which they can use towards the monthly Good Shepherd invoice. Personal health products are also greatly needed, including deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste and toothbrushes.
Mindy shares that the thing that has surprised her most in her time running the Community Market is the stigma attached to receiving food assistance. She has been glad for the opportunity to speak with students and parents alike to learn about their situations and what kind of assistance would be helpful to them. Many of the families she works with also facing energy insecurity. While the school is able to accommodate families without internet by providing hot spots through Department of Education, some students still face having to work in a cool or cold home, which makes for a difficult learning environment.
At Medomak Valley High School the collaboration with AIO began four years ago, when AIO introduced their Weekend Backpack Program (now known as Weekend Meal Program), that provided backpacks of food to kids on Fridays to ensure they had nutritious meals over the weekend. Through this program it became apparent that there was greater need, so from here AIO worked with the high school to establish an in-school pantry. Kali Martin has been involved since the start and currently co-coordinates the in-school pantry, known as Soul Food, with colleague Jeremiah Golding. The high school is largely virtual now; however some students are coming to school to get extra help so are able to pick up weekly bags if needed.
Pre-COVID approximately 20-30 bags of food were distributed each week. Last spring as the pandemic surged and students transitioned to remote learning, the need for assistance grew and an average of 60 bags of food were being delivered to families each week by bus. Since the fall, for students not coming into the school, the high school’s Assistant Principal, Matt Carlson and the School Resource Officer, Bill Labombarde, have been visiting students and delivering an average of 40 food bag each week. In school an average of 20 bags are being picked up weekly. Kali and her team receive monthly deliveries from Good Shepherd Food Bank, as well as weekly deliveries from Hannaford. Main Street Grocery in Damariscotta has been supportive and provides nice brown paper bags with handles to be used for distribution.
“We at Medomak Valley High School are incredibly blessed to have such a wonderful working partnership with AIO and Good Shepherd Food Bank. No child should ever be hungry, nor should they ever have to try to focus on learning while hungry. Having these resources to help prevent that, has been a wonderful asset not only to our school, but our community,” Kali Martin shares.
Kali Martin says that she has been heartened by the broad support for the program from all corners of the school, with school administrators, teachers and students all taking ownership. Teachers like Tyler Hilchey are playing an active role in the program and ensuring students know they can ask for help at any time. Tyler teaches one of the LEAD Programs where students help run the in-school pantry, including stocking the shelves, making bags and distributing them to students. There are students who are picking up food for their friends who don’t feel comfortable picking up bags themselves. The school nurse, Nurse Vail, has personal care products in her office that students know they can come pick up. The high school also has a clothing closet available to students.
When asked to reflect on program since its start, Kali shares that she didn’t realize how big the need was and continues to be. The program has grown to be one that she is incredibly proud of, in large part because everyone has become involved. “It’s inspiring to have students get involved and be part of the team, working to help their fellow students” she says. “The blessings come when you don’t expect them.” The goal is to feed kids and their families. Kali shares that the need isn’t always easily seen given that the community is fairly rural and spread out. The ability to have an in-school program helps raise awareness of and support for students, which Kali has seen help break the stigma attached to asking for help.
AIO Food and Energy Assistance will continue to support the Waldoboro schools by purchasing food from Good Shepherd Food Bank for as long as is needed. Anyone who would like to help support the Waldoboro schools with a donation can do so on AIO's website: www.aiofoodpantry.org/donate and choose “Weekend Meal”, add “Waldoboro Schools” in the comments. A check can also be sent to AIO Food and Energy Assistance, P.O. Box 113, Rockland, ME 04841 (indicate Waldoboro Schools in the memo line).
Anyone who is interested in learning about how they can help a particular school are encouraged to reach out to school contacts.
Julia Levensaler, Miller Elementary School
(207) 832-2103, j.levensalar@msad40.org
Mindy Gould, Medomak Middle School mindy_gould@msad40.org
Kali Martin & Jeremiah Golding, Medomak Valley HS
207-832-5389, kali_martin@msad40.org