Maine FSA Harvests, Gleans, Donates to Fill Food Pantry Shelves

Maine FSA donated more than 2,800 pounds of food to local food pantries through various gleaning and gardening projects.

Employees of the Maine Farm Service Agency got dirty for a good cause this year. By planting, harvesting and gleaning, employees were able to donate more than 2,800 pounds of food to needy families.

“They have done an outstanding job this year in the continued efforts of raising produce in the People’s Gardens, donating non-perishable items in the Feds Feed Families program as well as their gleaning efforts around the state,” said State Executive Director Don Todd.

FSA employee Chandra Campbell and her father, a volunteer at a local food pantry, participated in a harvesting effort in the cucumber fields of the Friends of Aroostook Farm in Linneus, Maine. The farm is entirely non-profit and all produce collected that day — 2,500 pounds — was donated to Catholic Charities Food Bank.

In continuing efforts for the second year in the Feds Feed Families Program employees from the Presque Isle Farm Service Agency Office traveled to Limestone, Maine, to the Smith’s Farm to glean broccoli from a 55 acre field. Together they picked 350 pounds of broccoli and donated it to Catholic Charities which distributes food to 25 food pantries in Aroostook County. This is the first year employees in Maine have participated in a gleaning effort.