Community food box distributions planned

3 years ago

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine – Getting food and good nutrition is important, and whether it is a meal in a dining center, one delivered to the home or a shelf-stable commodity to help extend the monthly food budget, staff at the Aroostook Agency on Aging can connect older persons or those who are disabled to a service that will help meet their needs.

Every week frozen meals are being prepared and packaged for home delivery around the region. On top of that, in partnership with the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) and Catholic Charities of ME, efforts are made to improve the health of qualifying persons at least 60 years of age by supplementing their diets with nutritious USDA foods. Commodity food items are distributed monthly in communities throughout northern Maine to persons who have enrolled in the program. 

Thanks to the hard work of people who care about their neighbors, the effort to reduce hunger continues every month and nutritional food is being delivered to older persons and others who are unable to leave their homes to shop on their own. 

For those who can leave their home or who have a caregiver or helper who can run errands, food box distributions are set up in towns throughout northern Maine on a monthly basis. Efforts are made to keep the time of month and the locations of these events consistent. If the schedule is changed, staff and volunteers with the Aroostook Agency on Aging make telephone calls to nutrition recipients and their care partners with updated information. 

Those interested in receiving a monthly food box may call the agency at 207-764-3396 or 1-800-439-1789 to enroll. 

Upcoming Senior Commodity Food Program distribution events include the following.

Tuesday, Aug. 3

Houlton: 10 to 11 a.m. in the parking lot of the St. Mary’s Catholic Church on 110 Military St. 

Wednesday, Aug. 4

Fort Fairfield: 2 to 2:30 p.m. at the St. Denis Catholic Church parking lot at 143 Main St. 

Mars Hill: 12:30 to 1 p.m. in the parking lot of the old high school on 10 ACI St. in Blaine. 

Thursday, Aug. 5

Fort Kent: 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. in the parking lot of the Fort Kent Senior Citizen Center at 20 Pine St. 

Presque Isle: 10 to 11 a.m. at the Pavilion farmers’ market parking lot at 19 Riverside Dr.

Van Buren: 1 to 1:30 p.m. in the parking lot of the American Legion at 117 Washington Ave. 

Friday, Aug. 6

Caribou: 8 to 9 a.m. at the parking lot of the Catholic Charities warehouse at 14 Old Van Buren Rd. 

For a full list of monthly distribution times and locations, or to find out more about home-delivered meals, contact the Agency on Aging at 207-764-3396 or toll free at 1-800-439-1789.