Families and seniors who need SNAP are worried about how they will manage their grocery bill this month. Project GRACE and our friends like the South Portland Food Cupboard and Scarborough Food Pantry are ready to help. We care about our neighbors, and so do you. Several food drives are popping up all around town, at work, at school, in the community. Below are a few tips for hosting a food drive:

Choose a date and location.  Or team up with another food drive.

Decide what you are collecting.  PB&J? Thanksgiving Fixings? Or perhaps you want to collect a variety of non-perishables? >>LIST  Focus on high-demand items like protein sources and shelf-stable whole meals. Grocery gift cards in any amount are always appreciated.

Tell everybody!  Post to your socials, too. If you want the public to donate, post it to the Scarborough Community Calendar.

Give the pantry a heads up.  Please tell the food pantry you are hosting a drive, and then confirm a date and time for you and your group to drop of your donations. Or bring them to the food drive at the library on the 15th.

Please make sure the food is good to give to the pantry: check expiration dates and condition of boxes and cans and pouches. If you're not sure, bring it to the pantry.

The holidays are fast approaching, and we're hosting our annual "Fixings" Food Drive to benefit the Scarborough Food Pantry on Saturday, November 8th, 1:00-3:00, at the Enclave (18 Black Point Drive).

As a complement to the Scarborough Kiwanis Club's generous donation of turkeys for the food pantry, we're collecting the ingredients for a delicious holiday meal: gravy and stuffing, instant potatoes, green bean casserole ingredients, canned pumpkin and corn and fruit. Extras like aluminum foil and roasting pans or festive napkins are needed, too. Shelf staples like pasta and sauce, soups and chowders, brownie and sweet treats ready mixes, salad dressing and condiments, pb&j plus also grocery gift cards in any amount would also be appreciated.

Thank you to all who gave school supplies, sturdy backpacks, and more! 

It's estimated parents spent about $144 on average for school supplies alone (>NRF) this year. Families in our community who turn to us for help typically have incomes of less than $3,000 a month, so getting ready for school can take a big bite out of their budgets. Your generosity and thoughtfulness helped worried parents prepare their kids to start the new school year ready to learn.

All of the families are grateful for the help, and here's what a few had to say: 

• "I can’t thank all of you enough for the backpack and school supplies. It was greatly appreciated and will be a much needed help for this school year. You have made a big impact in our lives."
• "Prices of things have gone up and being on a fixed income and being a single parent, every little thing helps a lot. Thank you."
• "Thank you so very much. My children loved their backpacks, supplies, socks, and treats."

With leadership gifts from KCV and Town & Country Federal Credit Union, we picked up a few extra of the larger backpacks, and alongside drives hosted by The Enclave, Empeople, Scarborough Rotary, Piper Shores, and the Scarborough Public Library, together our community helped about 155 students and provided supplies to each of Scarborough's 6 schools to ease the burden on teachers. The math department will also get graphing calculators for the 'loaner' program that ensures high school students have the tools needed to keep up with their advanced mathematics studies. An area program providing casework support to a couple dozen at-risk kids also received a donation of backpacks and supplies.

Kids will be heading back to school soon, but many families will struggle to provide the basics like backpacks, notebooks, paper, pens and pencils, rulers and glue sticks. With your help, we can ensure all kids start the first day of school ready to learn, prepared to succeed.

Volunteers will be on hand to accept donations at the Scarborough Public Library on Friday August 22nd 10am-1pm. 

>>MORE at www.fuelrally.org

We are grateful for all donations in any amount for fuel assistance, and we're pleased that leadership gifts and pledges are coming in, helping us get closer to our goal of raising $25,000 to keep our neighbors warm. Read more about the Rally in this week's Scarborough Leader.  Visit www.fuelrally.org to pre-order chili, chowder or soup and enter a photo in our first winter photo contest.

What's under a tree? So that kids around town and our neighbors have a merrier holiday, we're asking for help collecting traditional holiday gifts like: new hats and mittens, cozy socks for kids and adults, new toys for kids of all ages, craft kits and games for families, pajamas and read-aloud books, hoodies for kids and teens, shampoo and hygiene items, and spices for the food pantry.

Grocery and retail cards as well as gifts to the Keep Our Neighbors Warm fuel fund or our Neighbors Helping Neighbors fund are also very much appreciated.

What's under a tree? So that kids around town and our neighbors have a merrier holiday, we're asking for help collecting traditional holiday gifts like new hats and mittens, cozy socks for kids and adults, new toys for kids of all ages, craft kits and games for families, pajamas and read-aloud books, hoodies for kids and teens, shampoo and hygiene items, and spices for the food pantry. Grocery and retail cards as well as gifts to the Keep Our Neighbors Warm fuel fund or our Neighbors Helping Neighbors fund are also very much appreciated. Would you like to host a tree or collection? Let us know!

Chief Mark Holmquist will speak at the Scarborough Public Library on Tuesday, November 12th (Noon) about his personal experience as a Sentinel of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington Cemetery. RSVPs are encouraged, as space is limited. The program is free and co-hosted by the Scarborough Public Library and Project GRACE in observance of Veterans Day.

Prior to joining the Scarborough Police Department, Mark was a 24-year veteran of the Maine State Police where he retired in November 2021 at the rank of Lieutenant. During his 24-year career, He served for 12 years with Troop A in Alfred conducting rural patrol in York County and 12 years in the Major Crimes Unit in Gray where he was promoted to Lieutenant in 2017 and finished the final year of his career as the Troop Commander at Troop A.
 
Chief Holmquist's distinguished career includes his service as First Sergeant from the US Army Reserves in December 2021. He served for 25 years in the US Army, Maine Army National Guard and US Army Reserves. The highlight of his military career was his service as a Sentinel at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery from 1992-1993. The majority of Chief Holmquist's Army Reserve service was in the role of Senior Drill Sergeant, assigned to a training unit specifically tasked to turn citizens into Soldiers during basic combat training.

Modest honorarium gifts to Scarborough's American Legion Libby Mitchell Post #76, The Travis Mills Foundation, and Society of the Honor Guard Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were made by Project GRACE to recognize Chief Holmquist for his service and for sharing his experience with us. We are also grateful to the library for co-hosting this very personal and inspiring program.

The holidays are fast approaching, and we're hosting our annual "Fixings" Food Drive to benefit the Scarborough Food Pantry on Saturday, November 9th 12:30-2:30 (38 Hannaford Drive).

As a complement to the Scarborough Kiwanis Club's generous donation of turkeys for the food pantry, we're collecting the ingredients for a delicious holiday meal: gravy and stuffing, instant potatoes, green bean casserole ingredients, canned pumpkin and corn and fruit. Extras like aluminum foil and roasting pans or festive napkins are needed, too. Shelf staples like pasta and sauce, soups and chowders, brownie and sweet treats ready mixes, salad dressing and condiments, pb&j plus also grocery gift cards in any amount would also be appreciated.