Food pantries and food aid organizations across the Lakes Region are preparing to accommodate robust demands for free Thanksgiving meals next week.

In Standish, according to Stuart Leckie, food service director at Saint Joseph’s College in Standish, Catherine’s Cupboard is planning to distribute 250 Thanksgiving baskets this year. Last year, the Standish pantry gave out about 200, Leckie said. The pantry is located at Standish Town Hall, 175 Northeast Road.

“Demand goes up a little bit each year,” Leckie said. “The sign-up sheet is definitely filling out quicker this year.”

The pantry’s boxes will include fresh carrots, potatoes, a box of stuffing, cranberries, gravy, biscuits, apple pie and a turkey.

“We just know there’s such a need out there for folks,” Leckie said.

According to Colette Gagnon, social services administrative assistant for the town of Windham, the Windham Food Pantry has received a large batch of requests for Thanksgiving baskets this year. For the pantry located at 377 Gray Road, this is nothing new, Gagnon said.

“We’ve had a huge request,” Gagnon said. “It’s been kind of the same over the past three years – 150 families asking for Thanksgiving baskets, at least.”

The pantry offers a set menu for each basket, including a turkey, vegetables, cranberry sauce, gravy, potatoes, stuffing mix, cornbread mix and apple pie.

Gagnon said the North Windham Knights of Columbus had helped sponsor the Thanksgiving effort through their fundraising efforts at a lobster dinner earlier this year.

In Naples, Crosswalk Community Outreach will offer a free, public Thanksgiving dinner, starting at noon on Thursday at the Edward Singer Center in Naples.

“It’s open to anyone who doesn’t have a place to go for Thanksgiving or doesn’t want to cook,” said Joanna Moore, Crosswalk’s director. “We feel that sometimes what people need most on the holidays is company – people to celebrate with.”

A traditional Thanksgiving meal, with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, peas, squash, desserts and beverages, will be served. Doors will open at 11:30 a.m.

“The most important part is the atmosphere,” Moore said. “We have someone read a short Thanksgiving story. I usually try to have music and have a musician come in and play music. It’s a very nice community setting and a very happy celebratory atmosphere.”

RSVPs are required by Sunday, due to limited seating. Call 615-3226 or email crosswalkoutreach@yahoo.com for more information.

The Naples Food Pantry, located at Naples United Methodist Church on Route 302, will distribute 34 Thanksgiving baskets this year, according to director Connie Madura. Madura said demand has not risen compared to last year.

The pantry’s baskets feature potatoes, stuffing, gravy, vegetables, pancake mix, macaroni and cheese, canned fruit, turkey, rolls and butter, and either pumpkin or apple pies.

“In addition to our regular food pantry, we try to give a regular holiday basket just to help the family out so they can enjoy it, too,” Madura said.

In Gray-New Gloucester, Kathy George, co-founder of Caring Community of Gray-New Gloucester, said the organization is scheduled to distribute about 80 Thanksgiving baskets. Most of the baskets are sponsored by a donor. According to George, the donors either customize the basket to the preferences of the recipient, or prepare a standard Thanksgiving meal.

George said demand for Thanksgiving baskets has grown considerably in the past seven years.

“People are in crisis,” George said. “They can’t think beyond what they’re going to feed people tonight. We couldn’t stand the thought of someone going without a Thanksgiving meal.”

“There but for the grace of God go any one of us,” George added. “I could be in that line next year.”

Town of Windham employees Matt Millett, left, and John St. Amand transfer a pallet of Helping Hands food boxes from Hannaford into the Windham Food Pantry location on Route 202 Wednesday.  Some of the canned food that will be distributed.Volunteers gathered this week at the Windham Food Pantry on Route 202 to prepare Thanksgiving food boxes for needy town residents. Among those who will be helping are, from left, Linda and Walter Desjardins from Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Windham, Windham Food Pantry manager Colette Gagnon and Greg Smith, Rick Walker and Mike Roy, who are also members at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church.