To the editor:
Empowering Life located in Houlton is a non-profit organization focusing on meeting mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual needs. We have implemented a Friends of Aroostook program to assist those less fortunate who live in our county. This program has three complementary components: OWH (Operation Wood Heat), SFPP (Summer Fresh Produce Program), and HSC (Helping Senior Citizens). Although assistance programs are available in Northern Maine, many residents still have unfulfilled needs. Our programs bridge many of these gaps, with no fees charged to the consumer.
During the summer of 2008 two wood contractors (Bruce Warman and Mike Lane) donated 16 cord of tree length wood to Empowering Life. Volunteers cut, split, and piled the firewood. Throughout the winter months, free firewood was delivered to 14 Aroostook communities. The communities served were Presque Isle, Washburn, Weston, Island Falls, and towns in-between. In all, 34 families were assisted in their effort to heat their homes. In preparation for the 2009-2010-winter season, we are currently accepting tree length wood. This fall the Southern Aroostook Vocational Education Forestry Program students, will process the firewood. Our goal is to have 20 cord of firewood on hand to provide assistance to Aroostook families during the colder months in northern Maine.
Last fall three adults and six area youth volunteers harvested more than 3,600 ears of sweet corn, that was donated by Leo McAvoy, owner of Mac’s Best Produce, in Benedicta. The corn was delivered to the Salvation Army in Houlton, St. Mary’s food pantry, 8 area senior citizen complexes, and Catholic Charities in Caribou (they serve 25 Aroostook County food pantries). Empowering Life also delivered the field fresh corn to the I-Care food pantry in Millinocket, and the remaining produce was sent to the Bangor area. This summer our goal is to supply Aroostook’s most needy with as much fresh fruits and vegetables as possible. This will be done by purchasing/gleaning field fresh produce from area growers. Local growers will plant and maintain the produce, youth volunteers will do the harvesting, Empowering Life will deliver the produce to Catholic Charities, and they will distribute it to the 25 county food pantries.
The third component of our Friends of Aroostook Program is Helping Senior Citizens. This outreach connects locally grown garden produce with our senior population. Gardeners will have the opportunity to donate their excess vegetables to Empowering Life and we will place it in area senior complexes. The produce can be dropped off at Empowering Life, 144 Military St. in Houlton, or call (207) 532-9906 and we will come to your garden and do the harvesting.
The question is, why are people hungry or cold in Aroostook County? Basically, there is no good reason. There is plenty of food and firewood. The problem has always been overcoming economic and political obstacles that prevent food from reaching those who need it. Ending hunger means solving the more systemic problems while doing everything we can, on a daily bases, to feed hungry people.
The Friends of Aroostook program under the umbrella of Empowering Life is committed to Aroostook County and the task of connecting local resources with needs. If you would like to partner with us, send your tax-deductible donation to Empowering Life, P.O. Box 1511, Houlton, Maine or visit us at 144 Military Street in Houlton. If you need more information we can be reached by phone at (207) 532-9906, through our Web site at www.empoweringlife.org or call me at (207- 694-8131) All donations earmarked Friends of Aroostook will be used solely for this project.
Houlton
