by maineseacoast | Aug 19, 2020 | Downeast Campus, EdGE, Food Pantry, Maine Seacoast Mission, News, Thank You Thursday, Weald Bethel Community Center
It’s Thank you Thursday. Today’s shout out of Mission Love goes to Milbridge, ME based Mano en Mano (Hand in Hand).
Founded in 2005, Mano en Mano works with farm-workers and immigrants to help them thrive in Maine. The organization’s work includes partnerships with Maine Seacoast Mission.
Mission Service Program Director Wendy Harrington said, “We began working with Mano en Mano in the early days of the Mission’s EdGE program when they helped us support the English language learner students in the after-school program.”
This year, starting with a $10K Good Shepherd Food Bank grant to support distributing culturally-specific boxes of food for local families and for migrant workers, Mano en Mano partnered with the Mission, Vazquez Mexican Takeout Restaurant, and Downeast Community Partners. Using the Mission Downeast Campus Food Pantry as a central location the team distributed 165 boxes of food to 347 people.
“It..was so helpful having this partnership [and] great to provide food for families. Now they feel comfortable picking up food there,” said Mano en Mano migrant education director Juana Rodriguez-Vazquez.
Mission Service Program Director Wendy Harrington added, “This year our work with Mano en Mano has become more integrated around food security, financial support for people in the community, and the new housing initiative.”
This is what community looks like.
On the web: https://www.manomaine.org
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/manomaine/
by maineseacoast | Jul 29, 2020 | Food Pantry, Maine Seacoast Mission, News, Weald Bethel Community Center
www.gsfb.org
Culturally Relevant Food in the Hands of Mainers in Need
July 28, 2020
In the wake of COVID-19, Good Shepherd Food Bank pivoted its operations and began distributing pre-packed boxes of shelf-stable foods to support food pantries in implementing low-touch distribution models. The Food Bank ordered shelf-stable food by the tractor-trailer load, buying products that are common to most Maine households—but we soon heard that our one-size-fits-all approach was not meeting the needs of Mainers of Color. Our product mix was lacking foods that were culturally relevant to Black, Indigenous, and Latinx communities in Maine.
One example of the great work happening across the state with help from this fund is by Mano en Mano.
Mano en Mano works with farmworkers and immigrants to help them thrive in Maine. The organization envisions a more inclusive Downeast Maine where the contributions to diverse communities are welcomed; access to essential services, education and housing are ensured; and social justice and equity are embraced. Through the Food Bank’s Community Redistribution Grant program, Mano en Mano was awarded $10,000 to support the distribution of culturally-specific boxes of food….
With the funding, they saw the opportunity to partner with Maine Seacoast Mission, another local nonprofit partner, and Vazquez Mexican Takeout, a local restaurant. Vazquez quickly ordered food from Boston and Maine Seacoast Mission provided volunteer and logistics support, as well as space to store the food until the pick-up and delivery day.
Full Story
by maineseacoast | Nov 15, 2018 | Downeast Campus, Food Pantry, Maine Seacoast Mission, News
CHERRYFIELD, ME — In the latter part of October 2018, Mission Service Program Director Wendy Harrington sent word of new display units, courtesy Good Shepherd Food Bank, at our Downeast Campus Food Pantry.
Mission Community Resource Director Megan Burgess followed up Director Harrington’s message with photos and backgrounder.
“Thanks to Good Shepherd Food Bank for providing funding for the display units through their Capacity Building Grant program,” said Megan Burgess. Good Shepherd describes this grant program as “a competitive grant process that awards funds to partner agencies of the Food Bank that seek to make improvements to their program, allowing them to more effectively serve the individuals in their communities.”
“The display units have helped the Food Pantry better highlight baked goods and fresh produce, and they enhance the shopping experience of our food pantry patrons,” said Burgess
Learn more about the Mission’s Food Programs.
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