Food pantry thriving in new location

By Mike Lange
Staff Writer

    GUILFORD — Since Partnership Food Pantry moved into its new building last year, the number of clients has steadily increased.
    While this is a troubling sign of the economy, director Al Hunt said that having a stand-alone distribution point has been a huge boost for the nonprofit organization. “We were serving 60 clients three years ago,” he said. “Now we’re getting twice that many.”

    On Friday, April 24, they distributed 60 boxes of assorted food to 136 families in three hours. “Many made two trips to their cars,” said Hunt. “The quality of merchandise we’re getting lately has been outstanding.”
    In addition to the regular staples of canned and boxed foods, volunteers also handed out fresh tomatoes from Backyard Beauties in Madison and sacks of Maine-grown potatoes.
    Most of the food is distributed by Good Shepherd Food Bank in Lewiston, Hunt said, thanks to donations from supermarkets like Hannaford’s and Sam’s Club. “We got a nice shipment of fresh produce and several trays of french bread and rolls to give out today,” Hunt said.
Partnership Food Pantry obtained a grant three years ago to buy the former Northwoods Variety Store on Routes 6/15. The building had been unused for several years and had numerous structural problems. But thanks to donated labor and materials and a few other grants, the building is shaping up nicely.
    “Last winter was rough,” Hunt said. “We had to shut off the heat between distribution days because of the cost, even though the propane dealer gave us a good price.”
    But many volunteers work behind the scenes in addition to those who work on distribution days, Hunt noted. They’ve painted the interior and exterior of the building and made numerous repairs and upgrades.
    Thanks to a $10,000 grant from the Marshall L. and Ruth-Anne H. Gibson Foundation, the pantry’s roof was repaired last fall just in time to withstand the heavy winter snow. “We have (Guilford town manager) Tom Goulette to thank for getting that grant for us,” Hunt said.
    Friday also marked a bittersweet moment for the Partnership Food Pantry since it was the last day on the job for Woodbury “Woody” Thompson, who is moving to the southern Maine town of Hiram to be near his family. Thompson, 87, is a popular figure in Guilford and is well known for his volunteer work at the United Methodist Church as well as the pantry. “He’s such a pleasure to work with. He’s so good-natured,” said Wendy Cupero, while filling boxes for patrons.
    Thompson said that he’ll miss his friends in the community, but plans to keep in touch with them. “It’s just time to slow down a little bit,” he said with a grin.
    Operating hours at the Guilford distribution center are the second and fourth Fridays from 12-3 p.m.
    A branch center in Greenville at the old fire station annex is open on the first and third Monday from 11 a.m.-noon.