Christie Naas has always had a stash of food and snacks available for students in her classroom at Mt. Abram Regional High School in Salem. Perhaps a student missed breakfast or needed a mid-morning pick-me-up. The stash was there for students to use and no questions asked.

Recently, a situation at school made Naas aware of just how food insecure some students could be and she decided to act.

Naas wanted to fill a shelf in one of her classroom cabinets with food to send home with students in need. She presented the concept to fellow staff members on a Monday asking for a few items to stock that single shelf. By the end of that week, there were more donations than could fill the entire cabinet.

Staff and community members responded with donations. The National Honor Society held a food drive during a soccer game. Valley Brook Variety in Phillips offered a discount on food orders for anyone donating to the pantry. Mainely Provisions in Kingfield donated banana boxes full of items the store was no longer able to carry due to switching distributors. Amazon and Walmart orders started arriving, some from out of state.

“The response was overwhelming,” Naas said Tuesday.

With an entire cabinet filled, one of her students built a shelving unit. When that shelf was full, her students built another.

Donated items included cereal, canned chicken and boxed pizza kits. Staffers donated small jars of mayonnaise for chicken salad. Next came shelf-stable milk for the cereal and cans of tomatoes, a necessary ingredient needed to make the pizza.

“The idea is to have full meals to send home — we don’t want to send only part of a meal,” Naas said.

Rather than sending food home in grocery bags, food is packed in donated backpacks, making it less obvious who is using the pantry, Naas said.

With full shelves, the next step is filling a freezer with hamburger, butter, bread and other freezable essentials. The freezer is an older model Naas brought from home. but she hopes to acquire a newer, more efficient model soon.

Naas said the concept was not related to the federal government warning that it will not be distributing SNAP benefits to states in November. A federal judge in Rhode Island ruled Friday the Trump Administration must continue issuing those funds through the shutdown.

However, the new food pantry could prove to be timely.

Nurse Ashely Robinson said she has been aware some students and their families face food insecurity regularly since she began working at the school three years ago.

“At the beginning of this year, it became very noticeable,” Robinson said.

She is “very worried” about how some students could be impacted by the loss of SNAP benefits. In Franklin County, 15% of the population are recipients of the benefit.

The school has always been available to assist with resources when they are made aware of situations, Robinson said.

“We encourage families to reach out to us with their needs. We might not be able to help directly but we are able to help find resources,” Robinson said.

To donate to the Mt. Abram High School food pantry, reach out to Naas at [email protected] or contact the front office at 678-2701.

Whether there is a need for food or a willingness to donate, here is a partial list of food resources throughout the northern Franklin County region:

Kingfield

Webster Library is holding a food drive for its Little Free Food Pantry at 22 Depot St. Non-perishable food items, especially self-stable proteins such as canned tuna and peanut butter, are needed.

Rangeley

Rangeley Health and Wellness is collecting food donations for Thanksgiving meals for local families in need. Nonperishable items can be dropped off at the front desk or inside the lower level entrance during open hours. Needed items include gravy, stuffing, canned vegetables, cranberry sauce, chicken or vegetable broth, seasoning, canned pumpkin or pie filling, pie crusts, cornbread or biscuit mix, sugar, and flour or baking mixes. Perishable items will be accepted after Nov. 22. Needed items are potatoes, onions, butter, rolls, eggs, and turkey, ham or chicken. Please contact Rangeley Health and Wellness at 864-4397 for more information.

Food Pantries

Eustis: Community Building, 88 Main St. Hours: monthly on the Friday following the third Wednesday from 9 a.m. to noon. Contact: 246-4401.

Phillips: Community House, 31 Main St. Hours: Thursday 9-11:30 a.m., on the second Thursday of the month 3-5:30 p.m. Contact: 491-0118.

Salem Township: United Methodist Economic Ministry, 1458 Salem Road. Hours: Tuesday and Thursday 1-4 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Contact: 678-2611

Rangeley: Church of the Good Shepherd, 2614 Main St. Hours: Tuesday 10 a.m. to noon. Contact: 864-2610.