Program Highlights

Adapting our Food Bank Service Model to Meet the Demand in Lean Times

As the only food bank north of Hampden, Catholic Charities’ Hunger & Relief Services program does more than distribute food. We are the infrastructure behind food security in Northern Maine, sourcing, purchasing, and distributing more than 1.5 million pounds of food annually to tens of thousands of hungry people through 45+ no-barrier food pantry partners and community pick up sites.

Since January 2025, our program has experienced almost a halving of discounted food from the federal Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and the cost of available food has increased substantially.

“It’s making ordering our week’s supply so much more challenging, sometimes there just isn’t anything at a price within our budget,” says director of Hunger & Relief Services Jon Blanchard. “The hungry people we serve are counting on us. So, we are testing new approaches to adapt to these new, leaner times.”

Building on a long history of accepting large donations that no single pantry can accept – like a 40,000 lb. tractor-trailer full of frozen chicken — we have partnered with a local trucking company to be able to accept overflow products. This has come with a different set of challenges since at times we receive an abundance of products that are more difficult to store and/or distribute (including 50 pallets of unlabeled cans of tomatoes!), but we try to meet the needs of our communities however we can.

At the same time supply is tightening, the need is growing – given shifts in the job market, Maine’s aging population, and higher grocery prices. When changes to the SNAP benefits program are implemented, we expect the need to expand rapidly.

“We always do our best to strengthen our resources, locally and nationally,” Blanchard says. “The County has counted on us for food for more than 30 years and we’re not about to slow down now,” Blanchard adds.

Innovating for Immigrants

A green card is one of the best protections for a lawful immigrant living in Maine right now. Just like food, housing, and healthcare, legal services are an essential basic need to ensure immigrants self-sufficiency.

Even though refugees who legally enter the U.S. are eligible to work from day one, U.S. immigration law requires refugees to apply for lawful permanent resident status after they have been physically present in the United States for at least one year.

That’s why the Immigration Legal Services team at Catholic Charities Maine created a new group workshop to accelerate our support of immigrants in need. While there are no shortcuts to the complex processes on the path to citizenship, since January we’ve held five successful Green Card Medical Clinics for Refugees that served 133 people and are providing follow-up on direct legal representation for green card applications to all attendees.

These Clinics address a persistent barrier to successful green card applications: the medical requirements for vaccinations. The documentation must be reviewed by a registered civil surgeon, and the backlog is months-long. Thankfully, by partnering with a local civil surgeon who reviews and completes the required vaccination records of clients at a reduced rate we can ensure clients’ applications are complete.

“Many refugees and asylees (persons granted asylum) in Maine are confused and scared, and, unfortunately some people take advantage of this,” says Eliana Trenam, Immigration Legal Services Manager, “We do all this with a very lean team, myself and six volunteer attorneys and Department of Justice accredited legal representatives to ensure applications are done correctly so as not to jeopardize their case.”

The current lack of access to immigration legal services may cause process delays, cost unnecessary fees, or put clients at risk of unemployment, homelessness, detention, or even deportation. Our work with this vulnerable population matters now more than ever.

Your Generosity Inspires Us!

How Donors Designated Their Gifts: Where the Need is Greatest (unrestricted) 81%, Refugee & Immigration 8%, Food Bank 3%, Children's Services 3%, Emergency Services 2%, Seniors 2%, Other Programs 2%

Thanks to our dedicated donors our annual Spring Appeal raised $292,670 in support of critical social services throughout Maine. We want to recognize the compassion and commitment that brought these results to life. Because of your generosity, children in Maine were able to access nourishing meals during the summer. Refugees who have made Maine their home here will continue receiving the tools and support they need to thrive. Seniors struggling with hunger or isolation will find connection, care, and stability through your kindness.

This kind of impact doesn’t happen by chance — it is the result of your giving.
Thank you for choosing to help. Your generosity changes lives for the better in Maine.

Total raised: $292,670
Total donors: 434
First-time donors: 68

“People of faith are confident in the future.” - Giuseppe Pittau, SJ

We Love Our Volunteers!

Fall in Love with Volunteering!

Our SEARCH program, now in its 50th year of providing companionship and care to seniors, currently has a waitlist of lonely seniors who are hoping to make a connection with a new friendly volunteer. As the season changes, we would love to be able to match new volunteers with seniors who will otherwise face the long, dark winter without much to look forward to. If you have a couple of hours to share and live in Androscoggin, Kennebec,
Sagadahoc, Somerset, Franklin, Lincoln, Oxford, or Penobscot Counties, or Brunswick & Harpswell in Cumberland County visit ccmaine.org/SEARCH-seniors for more information and get to know some of the seniors who are waiting as we share profiles of them on our Agency Facebook page: Facebook.com/CatholicCharitiesME

You Can Help Children Learn and Grow!

Our St. Louis and St. Elizabeth’s Child Development Centers are 5-star rated by the State of Maine’s Office of Child and Family Services, nationally accredited, and committed to providing a curriculum that inspires creativity, curiosity, collaboration, and compassion.

Whether it’s a month or a week of childcare, every scholarship pledge helps ensure families can continue to count on us for safe, nurturing childcare.

Click Here to Pledge Today!

Community Partners Program

Our Corporate Community Partners play a vital, year-long role in supporting our work to empower Maine’s most vulnerable people and strengthen local communities. This month, we’re shining a spot-light on our Crystal Level Partners.

We are so grateful to Bangor Savings Bank, Pierce Atwood, and Systems Engineering for the work they do in Maine’s communities and for their dedicated support. Together, we can make positive change in our communities!

307 Congress Street, PO Box 10660 | Portland, Maine 04104-6060
207-781-8550 | development@ccmaine.org

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