On May 1st, 2017 a benefit for The Locker Project was held at The Thirsty Pig. The Locker Project connects food-insecure children in Maine with nourishing food to improve their learning capacity, health, and future. The fundraiser started at 5pm with giveaways, raffles, and the opportunity to donate canned food or cash in an effort to help The Locker Project restock their pantries. Beer was generously donated by our friends at Allagash Brewing and Shipyard Brewing Company. Members of The Locker Project designed the Hot Dog of the Month, from which part of the proceeds were donated to the organization.
For a list of ways to get involved and items the Locker Project is always in need of, please visit: http://mainelockerproject.org/get-involved/
In Maine, one in four children regularly experiences food insecurity. That's 60,000 Maine schoolchildren and substantially worse than the national average of one in six. Maine has the highest child hunger rate in New England. Child hunger exists in even the wealthiest Maine communities. There is enough food to share with every child in need of good nutrition. Schools are the most direct way for children to access nutritional food that might not be available at home. Learning capacity, school absenteeism, behavioral problems, and serious health issues month students can be addressed in large part simply by helping kids access nutritional food they might not have regular access to. With the USDA providing impoverished children with school breakfast and lunch programs, the times children go hungry the most are in the evenings, weekends, and long school breaks. Statistically, children are the most desperate for food during summer break. By partnering with the Good Shepherd Food Bank, the Locker Project is able to provide nutritional food for Maine children who are food-insecure, both during the day and for take-home, at the cost of $150 per child per year.