During my time working as a Bowdoin Common Good Fellow for the Merrymeeting Gleaners at MCHPP, I’ve learned a lot. Some of these teachings have come in the form of tangible skills, such as how to harvest kale or stack boxes of produce most efficiently in my 2007 Honda Odyssey. But one thing I’ve learned that’s harder to put into words, that’s crept into my consciousness slowly and surreptitiously, is how we define and assign value.

After talking with Hazel Onsrud, an employee of Curtis Memorial Library in Brunswick, I thought about how the concept of value applies to the work of the Merrymeeting Gleaners. At this library, as with several others in the area, there is a Sharing Table where anyone in the community can pick up free produce harvested at local farms by the Merrymeeting Gleaners. Hazel spoke about how it can be challenging to convince the average person to take advantage of the Table––they often feel they would be taking from those who need the service more. Being from Boston, I was unaware of the prevalent Maine attitude of “someone else could use it more.” People recognize that the value of fresh produce is different for those who buy it regularly than those who the cost may dissuade.

But what if we didn’t read so far into the Sharing Table? What if we took it at its face value — a table full of produce for anyone and everyone? Does the system collapse? No; rather, more people hear about the Table, and can then respond in whatever way they find appropriate. Home gardeners can bring more produce and swap for items they don’t grow. Those experiencing food insecurity could feel a reduced sense of stigma given the increased public awareness and could take advantage of the Sharing Tables more frequently. This would serve the program’s main purpose: to strengthen the community by reducing stigma and facilitating connection among neighbors.

Since the produce at these Sharing Tables is free, one might think it would lose value. But I would argue that the amount of care — from the farmer raising the crops in their fields to gleaners going out to harvest them to volunteers delivering the food — increases the value of the produce substantially. The Sharing Tables are an affirmation of the strength of the community. No one should feel guilt going to a Sharing Table, or accepting help at all. To my mind, that guilt is good — great, even. It means that despite going through one’s own struggles, one recognizes that there are people out there struggling more; this is hard to do at times.

But instead of running away from this guilt, why not lean into it? Explore what it means — perhaps it’s the feeling of being able to do more. Then, whatever doing more means for you — whether that’s donating more or putting in more volunteer hours — that’s the cure. MCHPP has taught me that community is the antidote to the shame over not having enough or the guilt over having too much. If you can see the big picture of the community and help or be helped in some way that makes sense to you, we’ll all be better off.

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