Diocesan Hunger Initiative

< Back to all Community Support resources

Topics

Last Updated

11-5-25

Launched in 2020, the Diocesan Hunger Initiative was originally focused on getting much-needed food to Mainers during the height of the pandemic. Maine has one of the highest levels of food insecurity in the nation, and with lost jobs and closed schools the situation was even more dire. Through partnerships with the USDA Farm to Families Food Box Program—which helped both Maine farmers with surplus food and families in need—along with local agencies and businesses, volunteers from the Episcopal Diocese of Maine were able to distribute thousands of pounds of food to Maine households.

With contributions from individuals and parishes, the diocese continues to look for opportunities to share the message of our faith in action with the larger community, giving people the nourishment and encouragement needed to make it through difficult times.

Today, due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, we face a new crisis. As of Nov. 1, nearly 170,000 Mainers, which includes 55,000 children, have lost their SNAP benefits, and it is uncertain when they will be reinstated. The federally funded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides low-income households with a monthly benefit to purchase nutritious food, including fresh fruit and vegetables. The program also offers free job search and vocational training. According to the office of Gov. Janet Mills, which is stepping into the breach with some emergency aid, “nearly 12.5 percent of the state’s population rely on SNAP, with several counties—Androscoggin, Aroostook, Washington, Piscataquis, and Somerset—approaching or surpassing 20 percent of their populations. Nearly 75 percent of Maine’s SNAP households include at least one working adult, more than half include a person with a disability, 43 percent include an older adult, and over one-third include children.”

You can help by contributing to the Diocesan Hunger Initiative. 

Between now and the end of the year, all funds received for the Diocesan Hunger Initiative will be contributed to Good Shepherd Food Bank, which works with 600 partners to provide food across Maine—including community food pantries, soup kitchens, meal sites, shelters, schools, and health care facilities.

DONATE HERE

Or, contribute by check made out to Episcopal Diocese of Maine with subject line “Diocesan Hunger Initiative” and mailed to: Episcopal Diocese of Maine, PO Box 4036, Portland, ME 04101.

Thank you for joining us in serving our communities!

You can help also help by volunteering for or contributing to one of the following Episcopal church food pantries, meal programs, or food outreach efforts:

ANDROSCOGGIN COUNTY

  • St. Matthew’s, Lisbon: Collects and helps distribute food for the Lisbon Area Christian Outreach food pantry, which provides boxes of food on Wednesdays, 10 a.m. -1:30 p.m. and Saturdays 7 – 10 a.m. at 18 School St., Lisbon Falls.
  • Trinity Church/Trinity Jubilee Center,  Lewiston: Operates a Soup Kitchen to-go Lunch, Monday – Saturday, 11 – 11:45 a.m., and a food pantry 7:45 – 10:45 a.m. on Thursdays.

AROOSTOOK COUNTY

  • St. John’s, Presque Isle: Collects food for and volunteers with Grace Interfaith Food Table (GIFT), which serves the communities of Presque Isle, Castle Hill, Chapman, and Crouseville.

CUMBERLAND COUNTY

  • Cathedral Church of St. Luke’s, Portland: Operates a food pantry on Thursdays, 8 – 11 a.m.
  • St. Alban’s, Cape Elizabeth: Volunteers prepare and serve a meal at the Preble Street soup kitchen once a month.
  • St. Ann’s, Windham: Operates an essentials pantry that also offers canned and dry goods for residents of Windham and Raymond.
  • St. Mary’s, Falmouth: Offers free community meals second and fourth Fridays, 5 – 7 p.m. Also collects food for the Falmouth and Cumberland Food pantries.
  • St. Nicholas, Scarborough: Plants and harvests produce for the Scarborough Food Pantry.
  • St. Peter’s, Portland: Collects food and donations for Wayside Food Pantry during Advent and donations for Project FEED year round.
  • Trinity Church, Portland: Collects food and donations for Project FEED.

FRANKLIN COUNTY

  • Good Shepherd, Rangeley: Operates the Ecumenical Food Pantry, Tuesdays 10 a.m. – noon. with food donations from the congregation and community.
  • St. Luke’s, Wilton: Collects food for Teresa’s Totes, which provides food for local children on weekends.

HANCOCK COUNTY

  • Church of our Father, Hull’s Cove: Collects food for the Bar Harbor Food Bank.
  • Church of St. Mary & St. Jude, Southwest Harbor: Collects food for the Bar Harbor Food Bank and donations for the Westside Food Pantry.
  • St. Dunstan’s, Ellsworth: Offers a free community meal on Mondays 1-3 p.m. Collects food for and volunteers at Loaves and Fishes Ellsworth.

KENNEBEC COUNTY

  • Christ Church, Gardiner: Collects food for local food pantries; prepares and distributes holiday food baskets at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.
  • Emmanuel Lutheran Episcopal Church: Collects food for the Augusta food pantry and snacks for the Farrington School Program. Volunteers also prepare the community supper at South Parish Congregational Church the first Saturday of every month.
  • St. Mark’s, Waterville: Operates a Little Free Pantry (like the Little Free Library – take what you need, leave what you can). Also prepares a serves a meal on the first Saturday of the month for the Mid-Maine Homeless Shelter.
  • St. Andrew’s, Winthrop: Provides volunteer and financial support for local food banks, including the Winthrop Food Bank and the Mount Vernon Food Bank.

KNOX COUNTY

  • St. John Baptist, Thomaston: Collects food for the Thomaston Interchurch Food Bank.
  • St. Peter’s, Rockland: Operates Loaves and Fishes, which offers free community lunches on Saturdays and Sundays at 12:30 p.m.
  • St. Thomas’, Camden: Collects food and donations for the Camden Area Christian Food Pantry.

LINCOLN COUNTY

  • St. Giles, Jefferson: Collects food and is a distribution site for the Jefferson Area Community Food Pantry, second and fourth Thursdays 4 – 5:30 p.m.
  • St. Phillip’s, Wiscasset: Operates the Help Yourself Shelf, which provides groceries, meat, vegetables, baked goods, hygiene items and pet food on Thursdays 5 – 6 p.m.

OXFORD COUNTY

  • Christ Church, Norway: Hosts and supports the Oxford Hills Area Association of Churches Food Pantry, a 501(c)3 organization. Parishioners regularly volunteer and provide donations for the pantry, which is open open Mondays and Fridays 9 – 11 a.m. and Wednesdays 4 – 6 p.m.

PENOBSCOT COUNTY

  • St. James’, Old Town: Serves free community suppers on the fourth Friday of the month.
  • St. John’s, Bangor: Volunteers to prepare food for the Dorothy Day Soup Kitchen noon meal on the fourth Tuesday of the month. Offers Second Saturday Meals noon – 3 p.m., hearty lunch and dessert with PB&J sandwiches plus any leftovers for attendees to take home.
  • St. Patrick’s, Brewer: Collects food and donations for the Brewer Food Pantry.

SAGADAHOC COUNTY

  • Grace Church, Bath: Prepares and serves meals for Midcoast Youth Center once a month and collects food for local food banks.

SOMERSET COUNTY

  • St. Martin’s, Palmyra: Hosts every-other-month, free community suppers.

WALDO COUNTY

  • St. Margaret’s, Belfast: Collects food for local food banks.

WASHINGTON COUNTY

  • St. Anne’s, Calais: Collects food for the Irene Chadbourne Ecumenical Food Pantry and provides volunteers once a month.

YORK COUNTY

  • St. David’s, Kennebunk: Offers a free community soup lunch on the fourth Tuesday of the month.
  • St. George’s, Sanford: Operates a Little Free Pantry (like the Little Free Library – take what you need, leave what you can).
  • Seeds of Hope Neighborhood Center, Biddeford: Offers free meals as part of its regular programming. Beginning Saturday, Nov. 8, Seeds of Hope will host Community Suppers every Saturday and Sunday until SNAP benefits are reinstated. Two seatings at 4 and 6 p.m.

Please email additions or corrections to this list to Director of Communications and Engagement Susan Sherrill Axelrod. 

Need food assistance?
In addition to the resources above, if you or someone you know is in need, visit the GSFB Food Map to find a local pantry or meal site near you. www.gsfb.org/food-map

Press coverage of the Diocesan Hunger Initiative: