ALFRED — They sorted boxes of spaghetti and cans of sauce, jars of this and cans of that. They smoothed on gallons of paint, built pallets and raked bags and bags of leaves outside.

It was a Day of Caring Tuesday for York County Food Rescue, and a welcome one at that, said Director Jodi Bissonnette. The pantry provides food to 45 York County food pantries and soup kitchens, and just hasn’t had the manpower to get to those projects.

But volunteers from four local credit unions, together called the York County Chapter of Credit Unions ”“ Ocean Communities Federal Credit Union, York County Federal Credit Union, People’s Choice Credit Union and Saco Valley Credit Union ”“ arrived at the food rescue’s home at 8 a.m. and immediately set to work.

This is the organization’s second charitable act this year. Employees paid for the privilege of wearing jeans to work one day, with the proceeds going to a worthy cause, said chapter secretary Melodee Stearns. The Day of Caring at York County Food Rescue was the second.

Penny Hastings of People’s Choice Credit Union raked leaves, along with several others, even though the wind was cool and raw.

Shari Smith of Saco Valley Credit Union washed the windows of the building, inside and out.

And Renee Oyster of York County Federal Credit Union was among those sorting food. Later, she planned to power-wash the outside of the building. The three were among the 20 or so volunteers who pitched in to help.

York County Food Rescue moved into its new digs, in the former York County Emergency Management Agency at the corner of Route 4 and Swett’s Bridge Road, about a year ago through an arrangement with the county government. Bissonnette said she’d been wanting to spruce up the place, but the main job of the agency is making sure the food pantries are well-served.

Last year, York County Food Rescue gave out 1,600 pounds of food to each pantry per month. That is up to 1,800 pounds now, said Bissonnette, who said the pantries could use more if she had it to give.

The paint and the brushes and other supplies were donated, said a thankful Bissonnette.

“This is a great thing they’re doing,” she said as the credit union volunteers worked, both inside and out. “What they’re doing here today really makes a difference.”

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com.