Maine news, sports, politics, election results and obituaries

Supply chain challenges affect almost everyone, but perhaps only those who are already struggling are affected.

Most Mainers’ current shortages in grocery stores are the same as the shortages faced by pantry when trying to provide services to those in need, because many panties receive donations from grocery store surplus, bread and fish food. Andy Matthews, the president of the storeroom in Ellsworth, said.

Matthews said: "There may not be available what we like or the type of things we need." "It will change, just like what happens in a grocery store. We are forced to buy a lot of things that we need to retail."

Food pantry in Maine has seen the trickle effect of supply chain shortages on its available inventory and donations. As canned food, meat and other typical staple foods are in short supply, they are adapting as much as possible through retail purchases and providing grocery gift cards to prepare for the upcoming holidays.

During the pandemic, with the unemployment rate soaring in 2020 and early 2021, pantry has been struggling to keep up with increasing demand.

The pantry now faces a slightly different problem. At the beginning of the pandemic, Matthews said her pantry saw more first-time customers asking for help. Despite the increase in demand, the pantry received more merchandise because people did not go out shopping for home orders.

Now, between supply chain challenges and the peak travel season, many grocery stores have disappeared from their usual staples, and Matthews said inventory is particularly squeezed. The shortage is unpredictable because many factors, from the closure of processing plants to the shortage of aluminum, determine the supply on the shelves.

"It seems a bit circular," Matthews said. "Of course we are getting less and less meat, but some of it has been going on for a long time, especially related to epidemics, [for example] poultry factories across the country have closed, but they have not fully recovered."

Rita Worster also noticed that the amount of food picked up in grocery stores is also decreasing.

"On a typical Monday, we pick up goods at Hannaford and Walmart-usually we get about 1,500 pounds of food," said Worst, the director of Bangor Christian Food Cabinet. "Recently we only got about 800 [lbs], so this significantly affected what we provide to our customers."

Matthews said that food pantry partners outside the grocery store, such as the Good Shepherd Food Bank, are in short supply chain.

"We buy food through them, but they are also affected by these supply chains," she said.

Supply chain shortages and rising food costs hindered donations to food pantry.

"People have bigger grocery bills, and when they want to buy food that might be donated to us, these people also face limitations in what they can provide," Matthews said.

The pantry handles supply chain shortages in different ways. Some people anticipated the supply challenge and made reserves earlier this year.

Rich Romero, co-manager of Brewer Food Cupboard, said: “We expect food to be reduced and start stocking what we can do in the summer.” “We do now see items that are difficult to obtain, such as tomatoes and canned vegetables. The food pantry operated by donations is affordable."

Some people have also been adapting in creative ways. Romero said that as always, Brewer Food Cupboard will provide alternatives to popular staple foods, hoping that customers can respond flexibly. Matthews stated that Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry plans to provide food bank customers with a $25 grocery gift card so that they can buy what they need this holiday season.

As winter approaches, the pantry is trying to prepare for more customers in need during the colder months.

"Even in a normal year, people have to choose between heating their homes and buying food. This is not a decision anyone should make," Matthews said. "In November, we saw an increase in [demand] [compared to] the past few months."

Matthews said that at this time of need, donors can do a lot to help. She urged donors not to search for canned food on grocery store shelves, but to consider monetary donations, especially since they can purchase food from Good Shepherd Food Bank at a significantly reduced cost.

If you have insufficient financial resources, another good way to help is to donate your time.

"We are a completely volunteer-based organization, like most pantry, we are looking for volunteers to help us in these difficult times," Matthews said. "None of us can run away. Hunger won't go away anytime soon."

More articles from BDN