Last month, the board of directors for Area Interfaith Outreach (AIO) food pantry and emergency assistance (serving all of Knox County but located in Rockland) voted to launch a capital campaign to raise funds for purchasing a larger building. 

Here’s why:  Only four years ago, a typical day at AIO food pantry saw around 25 people coming for food.  Thirty was a big day.  Then the numbers started climbing. 

In 2014 Good Shepherd Food Bank reported the number of people coming to food pantries across Maine had climbed by 30 percent.  That was the same increase we saw at AIO.  Then in 2015, another 30 percent increase.  This past winter — 2016-2017 — people driving by around 9:30 on the three mornings we’re open often have seen a line across the parking lot to the street and cars lining both roads.  Some are in line by 8:30 a.m.  Inside there’s barely standing room.   All this because the number of households every morning now hovers around 45.

We have a small building, approximately 1,800 square feet  — in a suitable location, fully paid for — but now it’s too small and cannot be expanded.  Volunteers accompany each client around the shelves and freezers as they bag their selections.  We must limit our shoppers to five at a time because we’re bumping into each other. We often stay open past closing time to help all who have been waiting.  Another problem is storing filled grocery bags and boxes while people finish shopping.  Those are left in whatever floor space looks to be out of the traffic, but people trip over them. 

Our Front Desk intake area where clients explain why they have come offers no privacy.  Likewise the Voucher Desk.  In the backroom, which we added shortly after buying the original building, work space has become a challenge for the volunteers sorting and culling produce, packaging eggs, or re-packaging flour, coffee, or sugar into zip-lock bags.

So there it is.  We hope a new place (in Rockland) can have 3,000 square feet, with a much larger waiting room and separate check-in area, a larger shopping room, work room, and parking lot, and two small private offices for voucher request interviews and case management consultations.  And how wonderful if it included a demonstration kitchen visible from the waiting room for teaching much-needed, basic cooking skills.

Judging from the current political climate in Augusta and Washington, we expect the number of low-income, disabled, elderly, and chronically ill people needing our help will continue to grow. 

The appeal for funds will go out this summer.  We are confident that our community will respond and help us meet the growing challenges.  Meanwhile, we’re looking for a building.  If anyone has suggestions, we can be reached at email@aiofoodpantry.org.  And thanks.

Sherry Cobb is president of the Area Interfaith Outreach (AIO) board of directors