As part of AIO’s 35th anniversary, AIO will be hosting an evening at the Strand Theatre on Thursday, Sept. 25, at 5:30 p.m. The evening will consist of a film premier celebrating AIO’s 35th anniversary, created by local filmmaker Scott Sell, followed by a panel discussion on the topic of the changing landscape of food insecurity in Knox County and around Maine. The event is free and open to the public.

In operation for more than 35 years and as the largest of the food assistance nonprofits in Knox County, AIO now serves nearly 12% of the county.

"Another 5% of the County helps us provide that food," said Alan Kearl, executive director. "We have a front row seat into the lives of a large slice of the community who live with worry about where their next meal will come from. We see first hand where macro policies have micro impacts. As it turns out, we have a lot to say about Food Security."

During this event AIO hopes to educate and inform, as well as inspire and motivate. AIO has brought together panelists, each of whom work in the food security space and bring their unique experiences and perspectives to the topic of what food security looks like here in Knox County and around Maine; "as well as ways we can each take action and play a role in supporting the collective health and well-being of our neighbors," said AIO. 

The panel discussion will be moderated by Elaine Appleton Grant, host of Sound Judgement and CEO of Podcast Allies.

Joining Appleton Grant on the panel are Heather Paquette, president of Good Shepherd Food Bank; Colleen Hanlon-Smith, owner of Peak Season Produce and Daybreak Growers Alliance; and Jemma Penberthy, director of Community Health at Maine Health. 

The event is free and open to the public, but an RSVP is appreciated for planning purposes. RSVP to: Alan Kearl, AIO Executive Director, alan@aiofoodpantry.org or 207-596-1043. 

AIO provides the following biographies for the panel:

Elaine Appleton Grant is a lifelong print, online and audio journalist and a veteran of NPR member stations WBUR (Boston), New Hampshire Public Radio, and Colorado Public Radio. This year, she has been reporting on food insecurity for a range of news outlets, including The Guardian, The Maine Monitor, the Associated Press, and NPR. She lives in Belfast, Maine. 

Colleen Hanlon-Smith has been working to create viable markets for Maine farmers and access to locally grown foods for all Mainers for the past 20 years. She is the CoOwner of Daybreak Growers Alliance and Owner Operator of Peak Season Maine, two distribution companies based in Waldo County that work with over 100 Maine farmers and food producers. This spring, in collaboration with seven nonprofits throughout Maine she helped launch Farm to Neighbor Maine: an initiative that seeks to continue local food access work statewide in the wake of federal funding freezes. She serves as Campaign Manager for Farm to Neighbor as they seek to launch the initiative as a statewide nonprofit to the benefit of Maine's underserved farmers and food insecure. Previous roles include CoFounding Waldo County Bounty and founding Executive Director of the Maine Federation of Farmers Markets. Colleen lives in Freedom with her partner and pup. 

Heather Paquette is guided by her unwavering leadership purpose – Always Press Forward, Always Give Back. As the President of Good Shepherd Food Bank of Maine, she leads a dedicated team of hunger-relief professionals to address the root causes of hunger by exploring innovative solutions, sourcing nutritious and culturally relevant food, and collaborating with a network of over 600 partnerships across Maine. 

Heather’s professional history reflects her commitment to innovation. Before joining the Food Bank, she played a pivotal role at Ahold Delhaize, where she led a team focused on addressing the changing needs of retail consumers and store associates during the industries’ evolution and omnichannel ambitions.  Beyond her professional endeavors, Heather is deeply involved in community service. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Maine and the United Way Thrive 2027 Council.

Jemma Penberthy is the Director at MaineHealth Center for Health Improvement, Community Health department at Pen Bay and Waldo Hospitals, as well as a registered nurse with over 15 years of experience in community and public health. She fervently believes in the urgent need for (and the positive impact of) prevention work and healthcare equity. Her nursing experience and her work in Community Health have illustrated to her how fundamental access to nutritious food is to not only one individual’s health, but for the health of the whole community.

About AIO Food and Energy Assistance 
Now in our 35th year, AIO provides nutritious food and heating assistance to Knox County families without judgement, always with compassion. Funding and access to AIO’s programs are more critical than ever as food insecurity in Knox County is projected to continue to increase. Knox County currently has the 4th highest food insecurity rate in the state. Child food insecurity is estimated at 17.6%. During the past year, AIO has supported nearly 1,900 unique households in the County, that’s more than 4,200 of our neighbors, or more than 10.2% of the County. AIO has distributed more than 75,000 meals to students through our weekend meals program. AIO’s Energy Assistance Program helps households with heating assistance or electrical disconnection prevention – which is critical as winter begins. AIO has nearly doubled the number of energy assistance vouchers vs. last year in what has been a time of overwhelming need. AIO provides a direct path for donors to assist our community by putting your donation to work immediately.