Skowhegan unions deliver over nine tons of food to local food pantries

Sometimes after Thanksgiving, local food pantries can have bare shelves. But thanks to some local unions in Skowhegan, many are now stocked again.

It's a tradition that started 12 years ago.

"I listened to a radio show, and they were talking about after Thanksgiving they don't have a lot of food around the Christmas holiday," said Patrick Carlton, President of USW Local 9. "So, I got together with some friends of mine, and we said, 'Let's try to do something.' And it's grown into something really big."

Really big is right. Nine and a half tons of food big.

A number of union members, many who work at the Sappi Somerset mill, raised over $27,000 this year for the 12th Annual Christmas Dinner Harvest.

That money went to buying the nine and a half tons of food and 150 ready-made Christmas meal boxes for needy Central Maine families.

"The spirits amongst the guys and people helping are always up because we're doing it for such a good cause," said Mike Theriault, Vice President of SPFPA Local 550.

They delivered the food to food pantries in 11 Central Maine cities and towns.

"This food will fill our shelves after the holidays (Thanksgiving), which we kind of cleaned them out," said Nancy Marcoux, Director of the Fairfield Interfaith Food Pantry, which serves about 150 families every month.

Patrick Carlton's idea started off small and has grown to become one of the most important sources of food for these pantries during the holiday season.

He says he's proud to have all of the support they get from community members and businesses, and he's driven to address the problem of food insecurity in Maine.

"It's pretty humbling," said Carlton. "To have all those people out there work as hard as they work in the mill every day and then to come out and take their time to spend that helping other families that might be less fortunate, that's a pretty cool feeling."