Summer 2024 Newsletter

QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER SUMMER 2024 Hi AIO Supporters and Friends, I hope that your summer is going well, wherever you are. Many of you may have heard that the City of Rockland announced they are eliminating funding support for AIO and other non-profits from this fiscal year's budget. There has been an outpouring of support to fill the void. This is both gratifying and humbling. One of the most amazing responses has been from a former AIO member who received services at AIO in the past. With our help and the help of Homeworthy, she made it through a rough period in her life. Now she has stable housing and sufficient means so that when she read the news, she knew she wanted to give back and presented us with a generous check.  AIO makes a difference! You make a difference!  Thank you.    It’s been my privilege to meet many of you as members, volunteers, partners and donors during my short tenure and the best part is learning about the connection each of you has with AIO.  Your passion and commitment to the AIO mission and vision is amazing. Thank you. In this newsletter, you’ll read about the fruits of many good ideas, input, and efforts. I hope you’ll read on and be as inspired as I am with how AIO touches lives in ways that fill the needs of so many in the community. Best Wishes to you and your families, Alan Kearl Executive Director, AIO Food & Energy Assistance alan@aiofoodpantry.org  FOOD TRANSPORT VAN UPDATE WE! DID! IT!   With your help and the help of several foundation grants from the Hannaford Foundation, Good Shepherd Food Bank, Agnes M. Lindsay Trust, and The Maine Community Foundation we’ve raised the funding needed to secure a Mercedes Sprinter Van. It’s on order and should hit the road sometime in September. Initially, we'll use the van for weekly trips to the Vinalhaven Food Pantry bringing food to our AIO island members who are unable to come to the mainland, and deliver Weekend Meals Program food to the Vinalhaven School participants. With market visits up about 22% this year, we’ll also be able to start making regular trips to the Good Shepherd Food Bank warehouse in Auburn to augment food for the market. If you see us on the road, give a honk!  When we get nearer the time when the van with wrap is ready, we’ll hold a christening event and invite the community to help celebrate this milestone. A NEW LOOK AT AIO You may know that on most market days, a line of our members starts forming about 2 hours before the market opens. Until now those people have waited outside or in their car. When it was so hot a few weeks ago, we decided to make a change. We found some great furniture and added a coffee cart. Now people can come inside to wait and enjoy casual seating and a cup of coffee, tea or ice water. On market mornings there is a noisy, chatty crowd in the lobby as friendships form and people catch up in comfort. As we like to say AIO is way more than people walking out with a couple of bags of groceries. WEEKEND MEALS PROGRAM EXPANSION Thanks to the new delivery van, starting in the fall, we’ll be adding the Vinalhaven school to the Weekend Meals Program. We’ll also be adding the middle schools and augmenting the existing program to include more fresh food to all weekend meals recipients. This is a big step up for AIO’s Weekend Meals Program and we anticipate that the current 500 students will grow to about 700 students and instead of 1 or 2 fresh items, there will be 3 or 4. The volunteers who make this happen are amazing and we are so thankful for their efforts. IT'S HARVEST TIME!  The AIO gardens are loving the mix of sun, heat, rain, cool, and fog.  We are in full harvest – just trying to stay ahead of the deer!  Thanks to Sarah Bartz and the team. ALTERNATIVE ENERGY PROGRAM We are piloting a new form of energy assistance. Thanks to a combination of the Efficiency Maine Rebates and two generous contractors, AIO is closing the gap on the cost of installing a heat pump and/or installing insulation in member’s homes. We are targeting 25-30 households who will receive this new form of assistance by fall. We love that this is a one-time payment that will reduce ongoing energy costs for our members for years to come. AIO SUMMER BBQ Some like hot dogs more, some prefer hamburgers, but everyone likes Darling's Ice Cream! What started with an unusually large number of donated hamburger and hot dog buns from Shaws, ended with a massive mobilization of the food, fixings and sides to go with the buns. By the end of the day on July 1, staff and volunteers had fed about 200 people, with participants ranging in age from 6 months to 88! Even our mail carrier took her lunch break with us. It was a fun event and we were grateful to connect with so many people throughout the day.  AIO BY THE NUMBERS  We’ve recently done a deep dive and in the first six months of the year, AIO has provided services to 1,380 unique households that include 3,250 people. That’s more than 7.5% of Knox County residents. It’s hard to count all the supporters, but we estimate there is a similar number of people helping provide and deliver these AIO services. Whether financial, moral, or physical support, AIO is thriving thanks to so many who want to live in a strong and supportive community.    Of these members, about 67% come weekly, 20% come monthly and 13% have only come once. Our members are from throughout the county in about the same proportions as the general population. Here are the towns with the largest number of constituents: Rockland 39%, Warren 12%, Thomaston 7%, Rockport 6%, Camden 5%, Cushing 5%, Union 4%, with the rest spread out from Port Clyde to Appleton, and Vinalhaven to Washington.   So far this year, we’ve had about 7,800 market visits, providing food to about 18,340 people. This is about a 22% increase over 22/23. MEMBER HIGHLIGHT:  WILLARD WHITTAKER Willard has been an AIO member for more than ten years. In speaking with him recently he shared that he eagerly looks forward to his visit each week.  He echoes what many say and think- AIO is a part of his community, part of the fabric of his life and he wouldn't miss it. As a senior, the food available from AIO provides an important financial stability to his life, as well. Born in South China, Willard has 17 brothers and sisters, most of whom are still in the area. He grew up farming and would awaken at 2:00am to feed more than 900 pigs before starting his day job. Neighbors knew they could stop by for vegetables from his gardens and would often walk away with a half a pig when needed. Willard knows a lot about feeding a community. For most of his working life he drove a truck locally. And now, at 81, having survived a stroke, being hit by an 18' beam, and knocked over by a passing truck, he compares himself to steel, "you can bend it, but you can't break it".  THANK YOU WILLARD for the important role you play in the AIO family. VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: DAVID WELLMAN David Wellman grew up in Hope, ME and now resides in Camden, ME. He is a stone mason and arborist by profession. His hobbies include watching live music, playing pool, and hiking. After a health issue that caused his nervous system to fail he had to teach himself how to do everything again, including walking. When he needed help most AIO was there to offer food and support.  Since his recovery he started to volunteer with AIO to give back and help others because he has been in tough situations before. He spends his time communing with nature and connecting with the universe. He takes his second chance on life seriously and does his part to help others. His greatest strength is his compassion for others. David has volunteered in the warehouse, market, and is currently an AIO driver two days a week. He goes above and beyond and is always there to lend a helping hand when called upon. AIO is grateful to have a volunteer like David. THANK YOU, David, for all that you do for the community.  ARTFEEDS: Artists Against Food Insecurity The 3rd Annual AIO ArtFeeds fundraiser is just around the corner. This is an amazing collaboration with 4 seemingly unconnected entities: AIO, the Maine Department of Corrections woodworking shop turns large wooden bowls, 35 local artists volunteer to decorate the bowls, Page Gallery in Camden curates an exhibition of the bowls and hosts an online silent auction, with all proceeds come to AIO to support our mission. It’s a great collaboration and I hope you’ll all be able to enjoy the exhibition and maybe even walk away with one of the bowls.  The exhibition will be on display at Page Gallery from Thursday, September 19- Saturday, September 28. The online silent auction will run the same length of time. Bowl and bidding information will be available at aiofoodpantry.org/artfeeds. [Image of bowls from ArtFeeds 2023] IN MARKET RESOURCES [pictured: Day Arnold, Director Snap-Ed] AIO has become a hub of resources for members. Maine Health, Maine Career Center, Penquis, and Penobscot Bay Community Health, all table for some of each week. These resources provide education and access for AIO members to many adjacent resources. What we know is that members who come to AIO often have other needs and we provide a great service for them to be able to address these needs with one visit. We hope to expand the resources over time. FOOD SAMPLING & RECIPES In May we had an excess of juicing oranges and in June it was cans of collard greens.  Realizing that not everyone has experience preparing some of the foods we carry, we are focusing on foods we have, creating a recipe, passing out in-market samples of that recipe and kitting bags of the ingredients needed for the recipe. This has been very successful and in August we are lined up with a Cajun Shrimp Mac ‘n Cheese. Come in and sample this tasty recipe the week of August 12. THE FUTURE OF THE OLD AIO MARKET The AIO Board has commissioned a study of future uses for the old pantry. We’ve scheduled a series of focus groups to get as many good ideas as possible. Please join one of these meetings and share your thoughts – no preparation needed. August 7th 4:30-5:30pm August 8th 4:30-5:30pm The meetings will be held at the old building 70 Thomaston St, Rockland. AIO IN THE COMMUNITY Sorry if we’ve missed you at some of these events now past, but we hope to see you at those coming up. Please stop by and say hi!   Blues Festival – (next to High Tide) July 13-14 Lobster Festival – (next to the concession area) July 31 – August 4, 10am-6pm Old Building Focus Groups – (in the old market next door) July 24,25 and August 7,8 4:30-5:30pm Meditation – (at AIO) Thursdays 8/1, 8, 15, 22 at 1-145pm – open to all. Facilitated by Adi Govinda-Dasa, Maine Health Community Health Worker and Ayurvedic practitioner In-Market Food Tasting – (at AIO – Cajun Shrimp, Mac n Cheese) 8/12, 14, 16 all day Camden Art Walk – (outside Page Gallery, Camden) 8/15, 5-7pm  Rockland Stroll – (between Tilson and Winter) 8/18  ArtFeeds – (at Page Gallery) exhibition and online auction, September 19-28. Closing reception September 28. HOW CAN YOU HELP?  People often ask, “What can I do to help?” Well now that you asked... Since mid May we’ve experienced a steady stream of new Mainers with limited English language skills.  We’d love to develop a volunteer base with Spanish language skills to work during the hours the market is open and help with verbal and written translation. For anyone with this skill/experience who has time to help, we’ll be very appreciative. Drivers on standby for various pickups and deliveries as needed. Garden – A little weeding, a little watering, and a lot of harvesting – Do you have a spare hour once a week?  We’d love the help! Pickers and Packers for order ahead and delivery program.  Van drivers – this is a new volunteer opportunity and we need volunteers with good driving records and up to 6 hours of spare time. Weekend Meals Program – we need a home-based volunteer to help monitor and track the program The Market – most needed items include boxed cereals, spaghetti sauce, ground beef, and packaged sweets like “Little Debbies” Baby Wipes, size 6 diapers, and 2T/3T training pants  Personal care items like toothpaste, shampoo, and feminine pads For more information about volunteering please contact Sara Spencer (sara@aiofoodpantry.org) or Keisha Beal (keisha@aiofoodpantry.org) or call the office at 207-596-1043. SUPPORT AIO THREE WAYS YOU CAN HELP TODAY: 1. MAKE A FINANCIAL DONATION. Your dollars go further as AIO is able to purchase food at a discounted price. When you make a financial gift you are helping to provide food, energy and diaper assistance to families who need help. You can donate online here.  2. VOLUNTEER. Volunteering at AIO is a great way to help people in your community, meet new friends, and be part of one of the most innovative food pantries in Maine. Whichever opportunities you choose, you will be an important part of the work we do.To get started click here.  3. DROPOFF DONATIONS. There is a wide variety of food, household and personal items that the families we serve need. To learn about our most needed items check here.  You could also...  Share this newsletter with your friends, family and colleagues Follow us on social media to stay updated on our activities. Facebook  (AIOFoodpantry70) Instagram (aiofoodpantry)   Hold a Food or Diaper drive!  The majority of the food and diapers we distribute come from donations. Hold a fundraiser in honor of your birthday or anniversary.  Other Ways to Give Learn more at our website    Yes! I want to support AIO!