The Mission of the St. Joseph Nutrition Center is to Feed the Hungry in Franklin County in a comprehensive way.  It is located across the street from St. Joseph Parish, on the corner of Quebec and Middle Street (see map below), and was born out of the COVID-19 pandemic in response to an increased need in the Farmington Community for food assistance in the downtown area.  Our downtown location and proximity to Univeristy of Maine, Farmington allows us to serve a large group of community members within walking distance of the Center.

The Nutrition Center is operated primarily by volunteers, with supplemental part-time staff support from Parish Social Ministry.  We prepare and serve approximately 100 takeout meals per week on Tuesdays from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  Meals are prepared safely in our on-site state inspected kitchen, and distributed on a first-come first-serve basis.  Additional meals are prepared and made available throughout the week from an on-site refrigerator.

The Center also features a 24/7 access “Blessing Box” in front of the building, which provides food for those who need it, and an opportunity to donate for those who have the means.  Largely a community supported endeavor, the Blessing Box is frequently filled with shelf stable groceries from members of the community, and is monitored and managed by our volunteers.  A similar box is located outside the parish hall at St. Rose in Jay.

The Nutrition Center's self-serve walk-in food pantry provides additional items inside the building, as well as perishable food such as fresh produce, dairy, eggs, and meat.  We operate on an honor system:  "Take what you need, leave what you can."  By making the pantry self-serve and anonymous, we aim to reduce the stigma sometimes associated with approaching a food pantry.  The center coordinates larger food donations from businesses and other ministries, and also uses its funds to purchase additional food as necessary.  Additional ready-to-eat take out meals are prepared throughout the week and made available in a refrigerator inside the pantry.

As the name implies, we are interested not simply in feeding calories, but especially in whole and fresh foods with high nutritional value.  While we accept food donations of all kinds, we place a special emphasis on stocking fruits and vegetables, and protein in the form of legumes, meat, dairy and eggs.

With careful daily management by volunteers, we keep a steady stream of food coming through the pantry, made available from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily.  Food is properly cooled and stored, and removed before expiration for food safety, although most food is taken before it reaches expiration, meaning minimal loss to waste.  Food scraps from meal preparation are sent via Care and Share Food Closet to Martin Woods Farm in Starks, where they are used for animal food.

We make it a point to be available until 6:00 p.m. to accommodate those who work or attend school during the day and need food as they return home.  Although this was born out of the pandemic as a temporary measure, we are in the process of expanding this pantry to a permanent location within the building, given the demonstrated need and encouraging community support received for this project.  We expect to have the pantry fully moved by the end of February.

In the spring and summer of 2021, the Nutrition Center plans to host educational and communal events at the Center.  We view nutrition in a holistic manner, and understand that passing on skills can be a transformative change in one's journey toward food security.  These events will aim to teach new cooking skills and techniques, create community opportunities for canning and preserving, teach principles of food budgeting, Farm-to-Table suppers, and other food related community-building events.  Our Parish Garden located at Saint Rose in Jay will provide an additional venue for educational and volunteer activities around growing food, and will be able to supply fresh garden produce to the Center in summer and fall months.

St. Joseph Parish is proud to be the fiscal sponsor of the Greater Franklin Food Council, an organization that works to enhance local food systems, combat food insecurity, and support local farmers.  Our partnership with the GFFC aligns with our mission of feeding the hungry in Franklin County, by coming together as a community to address food security problems at their roots.  The GFFC created and staffed a successful school garden program which teaches children in Franklin County about food and where it comes from in a hands-on way.  We are excited to collaborate with the GFFC as we offer educational events at the Center.

We welcome and encourage community volunteers to help us in this work.  The Nutrition Center is made possible by generous volunteers, with support from Narrow Gauge Cinema, Franklin Savings Bank, Univeristy Credit Union, Care and Share Food Closet and Clearwater Food Pantry.   For volunteer information, or to make a donation, please call Stephanie Crowe at 897-2173 ext. 1203 or email at stephanie.crowe@portlanddiocese.org.