Food pantries across Franklin County continue to serve residents with weekly distributions, prepared meals and low-barrier access points such as Blessing Boxes, offering a dependable safety net as winter approaches.

A Blessing Box is a small, outdoor, 24/7 self-serve cabinet where community members can anonymously take food or household items they need and leave donations when they are able.

Here are some places where people in need can find a meal or get some groceries:

In Farmington, St. Joseph’s Nutrition Center on the corner of Quebec and Middle streets operates daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and serves as a major volunteer-run hub created during the pandemic in response to rising food insecurity downtown. The center prepares about 100 free takeout meals every Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., with additional ready-to-eat meals made available in an on-site refrigerator throughout the week.

Its self-serve, honor-system pantry offers fresh produce, dairy, eggs, meat and shelf-stable food, while a Blessing Box outside the building provides access to donated staples. The center partners with area farms, local businesses and the Greater Franklin Food Council, and plans to expand educational programming focused on cooking skills, food budgeting and preservation.

Also in Farmington, the MaineHealth Food Pantry, located at Franklin Memorial Hospital’s campus at 200 Franklin Health Commons, is open Monday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., offering a grocery-style selection of fresh, frozen and shelf-stable food to anyone in the community.

The Care and Share Food Closet on Fairbanks Road in Farmington serves Monday through Friday from noon to 2 p.m., with additional morning hours on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 8:30-11 a.m.

In Jay, St. Rose Community Meals prepares free meals on the first and third Saturdays from 4:30-6 p.m., while a Blessing Box and a self-serve refrigerator provide daily access to leftover meals between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.

The Tri-Town Ministerial Food Cupboard is open Tuesday through Thursday from 2-4 p.m., with additional hours Tuesdays from 6-8 p.m.

Pantries in neighboring towns maintain regular schedules. The Community House in Phillips opens its pantry on Thursdays 9-11:30 a.m, including an extended session on the second Thursday of each month from 3-5:30 p.m.

In Industry, Clearwater Ministries distributes food from 9-11 a.m on Mondays.

The United Methodist Economic Ministry in Salem serves households on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

The Stratton-Eustis Food Pantry opens on the Friday following the third Wednesday each month from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

In Strong, Faithworks INC serves the public on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to noon and from 5-7 p.m., and Wednesday from noon to 2 p.m.

The Wilton Area Food Pantry, located at the United Methodist Church on Main Street, is open Tuesday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon.

In addition to food pantries, several local churches offer free community meals, including Old South First Congregational Church in Farmington, which will serve noon lunches on Dec. 13 and Dec. 20 for dine-in or takeout.

Western Maine Community Action (WMCA) continues to support the regional network, working with local partners to meet steady community demand as winter approaches. WMCA is a regional nonprofit that helps fight hunger by supporting local food pantries, coordinating food distribution programs, and connecting low-income residents with resources that improve food security year-round.