University Credit Union (UCU) presented checks to the University of Maine at Augusta (UMA) totaling $2,000 for its student-run and campus-sanctioned food pantries on its Augusta and Bangor campuses, respectively.

The Augusta Campus check of $1,000 was presented to Kaylee Jones, Madison Riggs, and Rose Pelletier by Lauren Cornelio and Stephanie Beck, for its student-run campus food pantry, The Community Cupboard.

A check in the amount of $1,000 was presented by Seth Poplaski, UCU Community Engagement Manager, to Jennifer Davis, UMA Dean of Students, Joy Steward, UMA Coordinator of Student Life, Aurelia Maietta, UMA Food Security Intern, and Kristie Hexter, UMA Administrative Support Specialist, for the Bangor Campus Food for Thought pantry. 

For the past seven years, UCU has raised funds for its Ending Hunger in Maine campaign to support local food pantries on campus and in local communities throughout the state. During this time, UCU has donated $12,716.44 to the UMA Augusta and UMA Bangor campus pantries in addition to other donations across Maine. For more information about UCU, visit ucumaine.com.

The donations from UCU will allow the Community Cupboard and the Food For Thought pantry to supplement their offerings. Current supplies are obtained through SGA funds allocated to the Community Cupboard and in-kind and monetary donations to the Food for Thought pantry. The Food for Thought pantry additionally has a partnership with Good Shepherd Food Bank of Maine and receives vegetables from the UMA Bangor Community Garden.

UMA transforms the lives of students of every age and background across the State of Maine and beyond through access to high-quality distance and on-site education, excellence in student support, civic engagement, and professional and liberal arts programs.  For more information, please visit https://www.uma.edu/.