Partners & Sponsorship
Read-A-Thon
Read-A-Thon
Read-A-Thon
Partners & Sponsorship
Donate today to support the food drive! Click HERE.
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ABOUT
The Hancock County Food Drive is an annual food collection and fundraising project that supports food pantries, free meal programs, and school backpack programs across Hancock County. These organizations work together every spring to raise funds and collect food.
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We estimate that food security organizations in Downeast, Maine collectively serve more than 10,000 individuals per month. By building resources for these programs, the Hancock County Food Drive works to ensure that all people in our community have access to nutritious, affordable food.
More than 1 in 10 Maine households goes without nutritious food, making Maine the most food insecure state in New England. Childhood food insecurity rates in our region are even higher: according to Kids Count Data Center, 1 in 5 children in Hancock County live in food insecure households, which can have lifelong impacts on children’s physical health, mental health, and educational outcomes.
At the end of April, all of the donations will be evenly distributed among the participating food assistance programs. 100% of your donation goes toward feeding people in our community!​
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THE 2026 FOOD DRIVE SUPPORTS THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS...
Bar Harbor Food Pantry
Community Compass
Emmaus Shelter
Everybody Eats! Free Community Meal
Hancock Grammar School BackPack Program
Healthy Island Project
Healthy Peninsula
H.O.M.E., Inc. Goodness Sake Food Pantry
Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry
MDI BackPack Program
Open Table MDI
RSU25 Friday BackPack Program
Schoodic Food Pantry
The Simmering Pot
The Welcome Table
"Whats for Suppa?" Food Pantry
Parts OF the Emergency FOOD system
FOOD PANTRIES AND BANKS
A food pantry is a local distribution center where community members can receive food. Supplied with food from a food bank (or a food drive!), pantries feed hundreds of people per week.
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A food bank is a larger organization that stores millions of pounds of food that will soon be delivered to local food programs, like a food pantry.
SCHOOL BACKPACK PROGRAMS offer families free groceries for weekends and school breaks. Food backpacks include healthy, easy-to-prepare food for kid-friendly meals.
FREE MEAL PROGRAMS offer free meals to the public. Meals range from warm soup and bread to vegetarian tacos. Many of the programs in Hancock County include fresh, local ingredients in their cooking. Meal programs might be located in church basements or community centers.
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