U.S. Customs, Border Protection donates to Maine Food Banks

    HOULTON — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) employees from Houlton, Fort Fairfield, Van Buren, Madawaska and Fort Kent ports of entry, along with Border Patrol employees from Houlton Sector, Houlton and Van Buren Stations, donated a little more than five tons of non-perishable food to Catholic Charities Maine. The donated items will supplement 24 Aroostook County food pantries from Wytopitlock to St. Francis. 
    During the last three months, CBP employees from the Houlton area of responsibility ports of entry (9,083 pounds) and Border Patrol (952 pounds) collected and donated a total of 10,035 pounds to the Catholic Charities Maine as part of the nationwide 2011 Feds Feed Families Food Drive. The food donations will help bridge the gap during summer months when donations are typically much less than over the holiday seasons.
Contributed photo
Members of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency load food for the Catholic Charites of Maine.
    “The strength of CBP is its people and repeatedly they come to the forefront to do what they can for those in need” said Port Director Patricia Scull, Van Buren port of entry. “We too have a vested interest in this area and knowing that hundreds of families in need throughout Aroostook County will benefit by our efforts will only make us stronger as a community.”
    Catholic Charities Maine is a food warehouse for food pantries to receive items when their levels are insufficient to cover the needs of families in their area.
    Among the items collected and donated were canned goods, rice, pasta, tomato products, flour, juice, macaroni and cheese, and tuna. Nationally, CBP donated 288,187 pounds of food to local food banks across the country and in 2010, CBP employees from the Houlton area of responsibility ports of entry donated 8,964 pounds to Catholic Charities Maine.