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March 2020

NEWSLETTER
Dear Friends,

As we welcome the first day of Spring this week, we are also navigating uncertain times in light of the Coronavirus. AIO is adjusting our services to ensure everyone's safety and health until we know more. We remain committed to providing food to those who need it, but have modified our process. Please read below for information on how we will be handling access over the next several weeks.

Many of you have asked how you can help, which we appreciate. AIO is committed to providing food to those who need it. We are planning several large food orders from Good Shepherd Food Bank over the next 4-6 weeks. We welcome any support to help us cover the costs, which amount to about $6,000. If you would like to make a contribution towards that order we would be immensely grateful. Thank you. 

We must remember that we can find silver linings in these challenging times. I hope that you and your families are able to enjoy some time outside during these longer Spring days, for nature can be a great classroom. 

Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.” – Joshua J. Marine

Take good care and we will keep you posted on AIO's activities and news as we learn more in the days and weeks ahead.

With gratitude,

Liz Jenkins, Board President
boardpresident@aiofoodpantry.org / 617-669-0819
 
AIO Food Pantry
​Modified Client Service

Effective Monday March 16
For the safety of our clients and volunteers, the AIO Food Pantry will adopt a social distancing policy effective Monday, March 16, 2020.   

It is our intention to continue providing food to those who need it using a modified process to protect the health of everyone. We ask for patience and understanding as we navigate these next several weeks. The details of this policy are below and may be modified.


Client Service
  • No clients will be permitted inside of the AIO Food Pantry. 
  • We will not be partner shopping with our clients.
  • We will be providing bags of food according to the family size.
  • Clients requesting food will be met in our parking lot by a volunteer who will ask for your name, your town of residence, and your family size. Please show your ID to the volunteer. 
  • Clients will be given a number, asked to stay in the vehicle, and line up accordingly to receive bags of food.
  • Clients will be served bags of food in their vehicle when their number is called.
  • We will modify this process as needed to best accommodate the needs of the community.
Providing Food / One Less Worry Items
  • AIO will create pre-packed food bags, depending on family size, of non-perishable items according to our food quantity list.
  • Everyone will receive toilet paper, toothpaste, and soap from One Less Worry.
Perishable Food
  • We may distribute some perishable items which includes vegetables, fruit and meat (in limited quantity, while supplies last). 
  • We will not be providing dairy items at this time.
Food Pantry Hours of Operation
Our hours of operation to provide food to our clients remain the same:
  • Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9:30am – 12:00pm
  • Wednesday 5:00 – 6:30pm
Our hours of operation for volunteers are:
  • Monday, Wednesday, Friday 8:00am – 1:00pm (approx.)
  • Wednesday 4:45 – 6:45pm
  • (possible additional hours to pack food bags- TBD)
Communication
AIO will stay in communication with the community through our Facebook Page as well as our website

Questions
If you have any questions, please get in touch with us: email@aiofoodpantry.org
Note: You may call the Food Pantry (207-596-1043) but please know that you may experience a delay in response.
Donations Needed
With stores currently being over-shopped, many of these items may be unavailable at times, but help us spread the word donations are still needed.
  • Non-perishable goods (soups, peanut butter, boxed items, ready microwavable meals, tuna fish, canned and boxed pasta and sauce)
  • Reusable grocery bags in large quantities
Drop off donations at the Food Pantry, 70 Thomaston Street, Rockland (rear door) Monday, Wednesday, Friday 8:30-11:30am and Wednesday 5:00-6:00pm

We will also gratefully accept donations to AIO that will support our food order from Good Shepherd Food Bank.
You can donate online here
Food Pantry Volunteers
We will be limiting the number of volunteers in the pantry to under 10 individuals. 

The health and safety of our volunteers is a top priority.  The Shift Managers will be coordinating and communicating regularly with their team of volunteers. Volunteers will be needed for:
  • Drivers/pick up at retail stores.
  • Food donation processing at the food pantry.
  • Cleaning and wiping down products, shelves and surfaces regularly.
  • Sorting perishable items from the retail stores (these items will be given out in limited quantity).
  • Greeting clients in parking lot, recording name and information.
  • Distributing bags to clients in their vehicles in the parking lot.
  • Capturing client details in client files.
  • Creating bags of food
If you are interested in helping with this, please visit our website and complete a volunteer form.
Energy Assistance
The AIO Energy Assistance program provides clients fuel for their furnaces, disconnection prevention information, and referrals to energy efficiency programs.

City of Rockland gifts AIO $10,000
 
On March 9th, Rockland City Council voted to support AIO’s fuel assistance program in the amount of $10,000. City Manager, Tom Luttrell, realizing the restrictions and significant red tape those in need must go through to receive fuel assistance from the city asked if it wouldn’t be more effective to partner with AIO. By supporting the AIO energy assistance program those who need help can get it more efficiently and effectively.

You can read more about the donation here.
Child Hunger
The AIO Child Hunger Program provides weekend meals and snacks for schoolchildren in Knox County and Waldoboro.

We are packing roughly 350 food bags weekly for delivery to 16 schools,
as well as serving almost 90 students through the in-school food pantries.
We have suspended our Thursday morning weekend food bag assembly line process. 

We will only be packing weekend food bags for distribution at a handful schools (at this time). These efforts are being handled by small groups of volunteers and in short amounts of time, with sanitizing efforts a top priority throughout the process.

The schools are providing meals to their students through their school bus network, drivers are making deliveries. Many local food establishments are also offering lunches to the children of their community. We are in constant contact with our schools and will support them in anyway that we can.
Good News!
In these uncertain times, we all need to hear good news and we are grateful to have some to share with you!
 

AIO has a professional cleaning service for the first time ever! ORGANICLEAN  is donating their services to us every Thursday morning. If you need a cleaner or can refer someone to them that is a great way for us to say “thanks for caring about AIO.” Visit their website

Thank you for your generosity to our clients and our community!
AIO Food Pantry
Mailing Address:    ​P.O. Box 113, Rockland, ME  04841        
Phone:    (207) 596-1043
Email:   email@aiofoodpantry.org​​


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