To the editor:
After reading John Dombek’s letter to the editor dated May 18th, “RE: Orient 3-member Board,” we were very disturbed and disappointed that a letter filled with so much false information would be so easily allowed into the paper. We wish to address only the comments pertaining to the Orient Food Pantry.
The Orient Food Pantry, which serves five area towns, is overseen by an eight-member board made up of volunteers. In the summer months, we have many resident and non-resident volunteers who come in to help out with organization, stocking, and distribution of food to those who use our services. Not one member of the food pantry board is a selectman for the town of Orient. Whether you have a 3-member board of selectmen, or a 5-member board of selectman, they still have no control, power, or input about who receives food pantry services.
The members of the Orient Food Pantry board adhere to the guidelines set down by the Good Shepherd Food Bank of Maine and the Catholic Charities of Maine. These guidelines are very strict. Proof of residency, as well as proof of income, is required.
We at the Orient Food Pantry are very honored to be able to extend a helping hand to all residents who qualify for these services, just as all food pantry’s throughout Maine do. Mr. Dombek’s use of terms such as “freeloaders” and “less deserving” are very hateful, hurtful words that certainly do not reflect the thoughts or feelings of our food pantry board or its many volunteers throughout the year.
Those that we serve are our neighbors. These are people whom we call friends; good people who may have fallen on hard times recently, or who have had a life-long challenge to provide for their family. People who live in Orient 365 days a year do not have the privilege of living here only in the summer months, then leaving to go to a winter home elsewhere. They stay here and struggle through long winters with high fuel, electric and grocery bills in a state that has a very high unemployment rate. And still, there are many more who will not come in to use this service because of a false sense of shame that has been placed on “asking for a hand.” Shame that comes from the use of words such as those Mr. Dombek so unflatteringly used in his article.
Whatever his issues may be with the Orient Board of Selectmen and how many members it has or should have, using the Orient Food Pantry and those who use its services in his article did nothing to help make his point. In fact, it only hurt those that we serve. After reading his comments, many clients felt somewhat reluctance to come in again because they did not want to be seen as “freeloaders.”
Many of us have lived very blessed lives, Mr. Dombeck. Perhaps with more complete understanding of the food pantry guidelines and procedures, you would like to make a donation to the Orient Food Pantry.
Barbara Sharpe, co-chair
Orient Food Pantry