12 Days of Gratitude drive fights food insecurity

GREENVILLE — Northern Light CA Dean Hospital employees are joining the Moosehead Lake Kiwanis Club in fighting food insecurity in Greenville and surrounding communities by holding a 12 Days of Gratitude food drive from Nov. 1-12.

The community is invited to participate by dropping off items at collection boxes at Indian Hill Trading Post and in the CA Dean Hospital Lobby.

Suggested items for donation include soup (not condensed), tuna, canned chicken, SpaghettiOs, pancake mix, pancake syrup, macaroni and cheese, muffin mix, granola and fruit bars, individual containers of pudding, and individual fruits (peaches, pears, applesauce, etc.).

All food that is donated will support the Moosehead Lake Kiwanis Club’s Backpack Project for children in need.

“With food costs rising, many families in Greenville and surrounding communities are finding it more difficult to put food on the table,” says Prudy Richards, a Kiwanian and organizer of the Backpack Program. “We’re thankful for support from CA Dean Hospital and our community to help ensure that our friends and neighbors have access to nutritious food over the holiday season.”

Food insecurity is a significant concern in Piscataquis County. According to the 2021 Maine Shared Community Health Needs Assessment, more than 25 percent of area youth are food insecure; substantially higher than the Maine average of 18 percent. Nearly 24 percent of children are living in poverty.

For more information about the food drive, please visit www.northernlighthealth.org/CADean. To learn more about the Moosehead Lake Kiwanis Club, please visit www.facebook.com/mooseheadlakekiwanis.