Nearly 1,000 packages of food collected for Kiwanis and CA Dean Hospital 12 Days of Gratitude Food Drive
GREENVILLE — With the holidays and long winter months approaching, Northern Light CA Dean Hospital employees, the Greenville community, and the Moosehead Lake Kiwanis Club came together to fight food insecurity in the region. Nearly 1,000 packages of nonperishable food were collected during the annual 12 Days of Giving Food Drive, easily exceeding the 300-item goal set by organizers and setting a new record for the annual food drive.
The food drive supports the Kiwanis Club’s Backpack Program to benefit children and families in need. Every package of food collected will stay in the area to help people in Greenville and the surrounding communities.
RECORD-SETTING FOOD DRIVE — Nearly 1,000 packages of nonperishable food were collected during the annual 12 Days of Giving Food Drive via the initiative of Northern Light CA Dean Hospital employees, the Greenville community, and the Moosehead Lake Kiwanis Club. The goal of 300 items was tripled for a new record in the annual food drive.
“It feels great to be able to do this over the holiday season because there is an ongoing need. It’s stressful for families and children when it’s hard to put food on the table. Supporting kids in our community is the Kiwanis mission, and we were so thrilled to work with the hospital on this,” says Sally Farrand, Moosehead Lake Kiwanis Club co-president.
Cereal, pancake mix, peanut butter, soup, applesauce, granola bars, and canned foods were donated at the dropoff locations at CA Dean Hospital, Indian Hill Trading Post, and the Northern Light Health Centers in Monson, Greenville, and Sangerville.
According to the Maine Shared Community Health Needs Assessment, more than one in four youth in Piscataquis County is food insecure. Food insecure individuals and households are those that lack access, at times, to enough food for an active, healthy life or that have limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate food.“
Greenville is a small town with a big heart, so it’s not surprising that so many employees and community members stepped up to support this effort. The food drive brought our community together to make a difference close to home, just ahead of the holidays. That’s something for our hospital and the entire region to be proud of,” says Marie Vienneau, FACHE, president, CA Dean Hospital.