PRFC celebrates Food Center anniversary

DOVER-FOXCROFT — This month Piscataquis Regional Food Center is marking the anniversary of the opening of the Food Center marketplace, which first welcomed shoppers on Feb. 14, 2023. More than a milestone, the anniversary is a moment of deep gratitude for the volunteers, donors, partners and community members whose generosity has made PRFC’s work possible.

Since opening the Food Center marketplace, PRFC has served 833 unique households with 450 households reporting that PRFC is their sole or primary source of food. Over the past three years community members have completed 11,862 shopping trips, providing food for 24,340 individuals across Piscataquis County.

Among those served are 4,668 children and 7,562 older adults, many of whom face significant barriers to food access in one of Maine’s most rural regions. For countless neighbors, the Food Center is not only a place to access food, but a place where they are welcomed with dignity, care and compassion — often by volunteers who know them by name.

“This impact belongs to our community,” said PRFC Executive Director, Kelly Sirimoglu. “Every shelf stocked, every grocery bag packed and every neighbor welcomed through our doors reflects the commitment of our volunteers and supporters. We simply could not do this work without them.”

The anniversary celebration will culminate in Cold Hands & Warm Hearts, PRFC’s annual luncheon to fight hunger, on Saturday, Feb. 28 at the Central Hall Commons. At this year’s luncheon PRFC will honor its Hunger Heroes, the Perkins Family, whose generosity and hands-on support have made a lasting difference for families across the region.

For many years, the Perkins Family has volunteered their time and energy to support PRFC’s mission, making it their personal commitment to ensure that families served by the Food Center have a turkey on their table at Thanksgiving. Beyond that signature effort, it is not uncommon to see Chad, Dolly or another member of the Perkins Family arriving at PRFC with hundreds of boxes of cereal or cases of hearty soups, quietly responding to need wherever they see it.

Cold Hands & Warm Hearts will bring together community members, volunteers and supporters to celebrate shared impact, recognize extraordinary service and raise critical funds to sustain PRFC’s hunger-relief programs.

Community members are encouraged to attend, celebrate the Food Center’s anniversary and honor the volunteers and Hunger Heroes who make this work possible.

Founded in 2017, Piscataquis Regional Food Center works to ensure that everyone — regardless of circumstance — has access to fresh, healthy and nourishing food. Through its Food Center marketplace, mobile distributions, home delivery and community partnerships, PRFC serves individuals and families across one of Maine’s most rural counties — powered by an extraordinary network of volunteers and supporters.