The generosity and kindness of our Midcoast Maine community is never more evident than during the months of November and December, the holiday season, when those in need may need a little more, and those who are able always find a way to give a little more.

In many ways, the Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program serves as a nexus for our community members to help each other — neighbors helping neighbors. We see this generosity year-round — laid out on a sharing table put together by the Merrymeeting Gleaners, in the faces of our soup kitchen volunteers, in the donations our food bank receives from local retail and farm partners — but the season of giving brings the kindness of our community friends and partners into sharper focus.

A food drive is a common holiday tradition for many, and its impact is awe inspiring. This season, MCHPP was able to stock its food bank with over 3,500 pounds of pantry staples from drives at Crooker Construction, the Brunswick Police Department, People Plus, the Topsham Trailriders ATV/Snowmobile Club, the Maine Energy Marketers Association, the students and staff of St. John’s Catholic School, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in North Yarmouth. We also opened our Instacart donations just after Thanksgiving and quickly received our first contribution, 29 pounds of food.

MCHPP organizes holiday meals for both Thanksgiving and Christmas, and those holiday meals got a little help from our friends as well: cranberries from Sugar Hill Cranberry Co., carrots from Whatley Farm, turkeys from Bath Iron Works and Darling’s Auto, and sparkling cider from Walmart. One family who received a turkey from the BIW donation told MCHPP staff: “We have two more family members, kids, living with us now. We were so worried about Thanksgiving this year.”

The Belfast Community Co-op featured MCHPP as their Common Cents partner throughout November. Generous shoppers rounded up their purchases to contribute their change. By the end of the month, those quarters, nickels, and dimes added up to over $5,600. Meanwhile, our talented neighbors at Coastal Landing Retirement Community collaborated to knit and raffle off two beautiful baby blankets and donated the proceeds to MCHPP.

Our community came together to support MCHPP in a big way on Giving Tuesday, a celebration of global generosity that occurs every year on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. A challenge match allowed us to double the contributions of 172 donors, extending our collective good will even further.

This holiday season, we thank you, our community, for your support, for helping your neighbors, for contributing to the health and happiness of our home here in Midcoast Maine.

Giving Voice is a weekly collaboration among four local nonprofit service agencies to share information and stories about their work in the community.