Maine Water employee Paul Farquhar delivers winter coats to a school in Millinocket. Courtesy photo

SACO — Maine Water and its employees again helped provide for the hungry and children in need in the communities the company serves across the state of Maine. The support comes in the form of food pantry donations and warm winter coats for children.

Maine Water’s Coats for Kids program is an employee funded program to purchase brand new coats for kids who otherwise may go cold this winter. This year, employees contributed toward the purchase of 150 new winter jackets — an all-time high since the program’s inception in 2013. The coats were distributed to Hartland Children’s Holiday Fund, the town of Bucksport, Knox County Homeless Coalition, Millinocket Schools, Seeds of Hope in Biddeford, Rockland Schools and Skowhegan Schools. Maine Water employees stretch the donated funds by shopping off-season and at clearance sales. Shopping for 2022 will begin in just a few weeks.

Additionally, the company donated over $8,000 to 18 food pantries in Maine Water service communities.

“Maine Water and its employees are dedicated to be being a force for good in the communities that we are privileged to serve,” said Maine Water Vice President Mark Vannoy. “Every day, our 80 passionate and dedicated water professionals, who live and work in communities across Maine, show their commitment to serve their neighbors.”

Charitable donations are funded by employees and shareholders and not reflected in customer rates.

Locally, Maine Water serves most of Biddeford, Saco and Old Orchard Beach and part of Scarborough.