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 Thank you!! WE DID IT!
Because of you – we raised the necessary funds to complete the construction of the new AIO Food and Energy Assistance building. We cannot thank you enough for your support and your kind words of encouragement. This is truly a project Built by the Community, For the Community. Board Member, Marty Shaw, delivered a beautiful blessing of the new building which you can read here.
This new facility sends a clear message to all those who visit us: We care about you. We are dedicated to making your lives better. Yes, we provide groceries and heating…but this building means so much more than that. AIO is dedicated to providing More Food, More Often to anyone who needs our support.
We are opening the doors of the new facility on Wednesday, September 2.
- We will have expanded hours at the Food Pantry and are returning to client shopping in the pantry rather than curbside delivery as we have had in place since March. Client shopping allows our clients to select food that best suits their family, and our AIO Volunteers can again provide personal attention for each client who comes to us.
- Our Weekend Meal program will begin in mid-September. This critical program provides food for kids and their families for the weekends.
- We are expecting an increased demand for our heating assistance program and are making plans to start offering this program in November. We have a vision to expand this program (let’s call this - More Energy, More Often).
- In partnership with the Knox County Gleaners, the root cellar is fully operational and is being well stocked with fresh produce from area farmers and individuals. Their motto is "Harvesting our Fields, Feeding our Hungry".
Some of you have asked what is going to happen in the current building once we move next door into the new space. Nancy Wood, the SNAP-ED Nutrition Educator for Knox County, in partnership with AIO, will be developing a Community Kitchen. We have so many plans for this program – stay tuned for more details - it's very exciting. The Midcoast Diaper Project will also be headquartered in the current building; they provide free diapers for anyone who needs them. They distribute the diapers in partnership with our AIO Programs.
With gratitude,
Liz Jenkins, Board President
email: boardpresident@aiofoodpantry.org
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Food Pantry
new location: 1A Gordon Drive, Rockland
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Our Weekend Meal program will begin in mid-September.
This critical program provides food for kids and their families for the weekends.
We distribute this food in partnership with the Knox County schools.
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Here are some ways to support Weekend Meal
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Purchase and Donate Masks
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Buy a Bag - Help Fight Hunger!
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We're asking for folks to purchase and donate some of these boxes of MASKS made just for kids ages 4-14. We'll be putting them into the Weekend Meal bags.
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Through SEPTEMBER, AIO Child Hunger Program will receive a $1 donation from each purchase of the $2.50 reusable Fight Hunger Bag at the Camden & Rockland Hannaford stores.
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Volunteers are Needed for the Weekend Meal Program
Assembly Line; School Relationships; Transportation
https://www.aiofoodpantry.org/volunteer-signup
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AIO Energy Assistance Program provides energy assistance support
to families who need a little extra help when budgets are tight.
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AIO Food and Energy Assistance is excited to announce that Rhonda Nordstrom has been hired as AIO’s new Energy Assistance Program Manager.
Rhonda will work with participating fuel companies and churches and build new relationships where possible. She will also be instrumental in setting up physical and digital systems as we move into our new facility. Rhonda will lead and work along-side the dedicated team of volunteers who interface directly with the clients.
“Connection to community was always important to me personally and I knew it had to be a priority for my business to give back to that community,” shares Rhonda. “Volunteering on AIO’s Energy Assistance team opened my eyes to the fact that there is little disparity between a child going to bed hungry or waking up to a cold house. I look forward to playing a bigger role in helping children and families of Knox County be warm during cold Maine winters.”
Read More about our Energy Assistance program
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Growing at AIO is an exciting new program which will
establish an edible landscape around the new building!
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 This year we’re not just opening the doors to the new building, we’re breaking ground for an edible landscape that’s grounded in permaculture principles.
We’re designing our ‘forest farm’ to supply the food pantry with fresh fruit (think apples, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries) and perennial vegetables (asparagus, arugula, and rhubarb, oh my!) that give high yields with little maintenance. Our plans also include lots of space for traditional annual veggies – tomatoes, squash, lettuce, cabbage, cucumbers, peppers, peas, beans, beets and radishes – as well as community gardens open to anyone who wants to grow food for themselves or for the pantry. Read more about the program and how to volunteer HERE.
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“Volunteering is at the very core of being a human.
No one has made it through life without someone else’s help.”
—Heather French Henry
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AIO’s new building is opening September 2 and there are opportunities for you to get involved! Volunteers are needed for all programs:
- Food Pantry Volunteer - Monday, Wednesday or Friday 8:00 to 1:00, Wednesday Evening 4:00 to 7:30
- Food Pantry Client Intake - Monday, Wednesday or Friday 8:30 to 12:30, Wednesday evening 4:00 to 7:00
- Warehouse - Monday, Wednesday or Friday 8:00 to 10:00
- Weekend Meal Pack Assembly - (begins mid-September) Wednesdays 1:00 to 3:00pm
- School Transport - (begins mid-September) Thursdays between 11:00 and 2:00pm
- Energy Assistance - (begins November 1) Monday, Wednesday or Friday 8:00 to 1:00
- Or, if you are more comfortable behind the scenes, we have administrative projects available as well.
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