Collection boxes were delivered to 21 SMHC locations and the staff filled them with nearly 2,000 pounds of nourishing, non-perishable food to help feed hungry families. The quilt was handmade by four SMHC staff members to help support the fundraiser.
Cash donations and proceeds from the quilt raffle totaling $1,100 were also donated to help the Pantry purchase food supplies.
“We are truly grateful for the hard work that you have done for the hungry people of Biddeford,” said Biddeford Food Pantry Manager Don Bisson. “The food drive was a big boost for our pantry and our shelves are filled. Your efforts more than demonstrate that SMHC is very much community focused.”
The food drive was organized by SMHC’s Giving Back Task Force, which is comprised of staff from across the organization. It holds two fundraisers each year to benefit the communities SMHC serves.
The Task Force’s mission is to enable SMHC employees to give back to its communities through volunteer opportunities and by providing financial support. It will do so by coordinating and communicating these activities while focusing its efforts in the SMHC service area and on food insecurity.
Southern Maine Health Care is a national award-winning healthcare system with a non-profit mission “to improve the health and health care of the communities we serve.” SMHC includes a full service, acute care medical center in Biddeford, with York County’s only inpatient mental health unit. Emergency care, surgical services, and diagnostic and therapy services are available at SMHC’s Medical Centers in Biddeford and Sanford.
SMHC offers primary care and multi-specialty physician services, diagnostic and therapy services, and Walk-In Care centers in various York County communities including Biddeford, Kennebunk, Saco, Sanford, North Berwick and Waterboro.
SMHC is Joint Commission accredited and has been recognized for quality excellence by numerous outside organizations.
The Biddeford Food Pantry was founded by Rita Riley in 1981. While Rita had been visiting an elderly woman’s home to provide assistance, the woman said that she would like to make some tea. Rita went into the kitchen to help her and discovered that she had almost nothing in the cupboards. It was then that Rita realized there was a great need in Biddeford for a means to help those who have very little money to afford food. Deeply troubled by the lack of an existing option to assist people in need, Rita began to collect food in her garage, an effort which eventually became the Biddeford Food Pantry.
To make a donation or learn more visit www.biddefordfoodpantry.org
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