SMITHFIELD — The Smithfield Food Pantry has received a $3,500 grant from Western Mountains Fund of the Maine Community Foundation to aid in the cost of installation of a hood ventilation system for the gas stove in the Municipal Complex kitchen, according to a news release from the pantry.

“This grant will help many people who struggle to feed their families,” said Nicky Clarke, administrative assistant and pantry manager, in the release. “It will help eliminate waste of any produce grown in the Smithfield Community Garden by allowing the abundance of produce to be canned and/or frozen for later use. Use of the six-burner gas stove will allow us to preserve and distribute the produce into the winter months.” She added, the cost of the project is about $6,000 and requests any monies donated be made out to Town of Smithfield and mailed to Nicky Clarke, Pantry Fund, 926 Village Road, Smithfield, ME 04978.

Jodie Mosher-Towle, who wrote the grant, said in the release “One in four families in Maine is food insecure and we are hoping to provide produce to supplement what families bring home with nutritious, fresh picked food by preserving what we can’t distribute at harvest, for later use.”

With offices in Ellsworth and Portland, the Maine Community Foundation works with donors and other partners to improve the quality of life for all Maine people. For more information, visit mainecf.org.