Lebanon food pantry reaches out to seniors in need

Food pantry director Lorrie Lovely, left with Sharon Malone of Christian Radio Station WSEW and WWPC of New Durham, N.H., at Sunday's open house. (Harrison Thorp photo)

LEBANON - As reported in a recent Lebanon Voice article, Maine State Police troopers are putting special bumper stickers on their cruisers bringing awareness to elder abuse.

Well, right here in Lebanon a woman is on the lookout for another potential danger to our senior citizens: hunger.

Lorrie Lovely, who runs the food pantry at the First Parish Congregational Church on Center Road, said she is currently doing outreach for older Lebanon residents who are in need of food.

“If anyone knows of anyone, especially our seniors, who seems to be having trouble with food and toiletries, please encourage them to contact us,” Lovely said on Sunday at an Open House held for the food pantry in the church hall.

Lovely said if someone even suspects an elderly neighbor might be struggling to put food on their table, they should get in touch with her immediately so she can help them out.

It’s been a little over four years since Lovely began the food pantry with Susan Reed of Milton Mills, who outreaches to the needy in her community.

If someone in need wants to contact Lovely, they can call Pastor Mark Kraines at 207-651-5506.

The open house on Sunday featured an assortment of delicious homemade soups and crusty bread. The best thing about the open house is that the Good Shepherd

Food Bank, a national nonprofit, is currently matching any donations, so anything folks tossed in the donations box on Sunday was doubled.

Lovely said she goes to Biddeford, Maine, to get her food at discounted prices whenever the food levels at the church dwindle.

She said the overwhelming majority of folks she serves are young families who are having a tough time. Some are already on assistance, like TANF, but still need help to fill the gaps.

But she thinks there are more elderly who are desperately in need, but don’t know about the food pantry or are too proud to seek her out.

In four years, about 300 people have gotten help from the food pantry at the church, with one or two calls coming in every week.

She said the busiest time is late winter, when lots of residents run out of their fuel assistance money and are forced to spend food money on keeping warm.

This summer Lebanon Girl Scouts along with Lebanon resident Andrea Rose will be growing vegetables like zucchini and cucumbers behind the Lebanon Elementary School to supplement the food pantry’s vegetable stock. Also Lee’s Floral Garden helps out by keeping a Planet Aid box near her store. Money raised from that box also helps the food pantry, which has truly become a community effort.

Lovely, who is also a deacon at the church, said folks can drop off food donations at the Lebanon Post Office. The food pantry also welcomes cash donations.

She said once people who need food get in touch with Pastor Kraines, he calls her and she can usually have some food out within 24 hours.

“I contact them, we meet and I get them what they need,” she said.