Houlton Border Patrol agents donate to local charities

    HODGDON — The Houlton Border Patrol Sector Headquarters and Houlton Station joined forces with the “Warming Up to Giving” national food drive, donating to the Battered Womens Shelter and Ludlow Food Bank.
    Food banks across the country are facing severe shortages of non-perishable items. The goal of this donation drive is to help restock food banks, which face their greatest challenge during economic downturns when contributions are slowed. Customs and Border Protection encouraged all of their employees to join this nationwide effort to step up and meet the challenge of gathering 1,000,000 pounds of food for families in need.
    The Ludlow Food Bank currently serves 18 local towns and over 400 families a month. On top of the donations from Border Patrol agents, Shop-N-Save and Andy IGA contributed gift cards to be used by Ludlow Food Bank to purchase any additional food items needed to restock their shelves.
    Other Maine communities that will receive donations from Border Patrol agents is Calais Food Pantry, Catholic Charities Food Pantry, St. Bruno/St. Remi Food Pantries, Jackman Town Food Pantry, and Episcopal Church of the Good Sheppard Food Pantry.
    “Our agents are not only committed to border security, but improving the quality of life in the communities that we serve and I am proud to have our agents working together with local businesses in combating the food shortages that our local food banks face,” Chief Patrol Agent Joseph Mellia said.
    U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation\’s borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.