Skowhegan-area school programs are solving hunger in their community. Here’s a look behind the numbers

The MSAD #54 and Somerset Career and Technical Center Pantry and Backpack program serves more than one-third of the school district’s households each month. Here’s how they do it and how you can support their mission.

Posted January 16

450 households

The MSAD #54 and Somerset Career and Technical Center Pantry and Backpack program currently serves 450 households each month – about one third of the district’s 1,400 households.

270 weekly bags

The program sends 270 weekend food bags every Friday to students in seven schools throughout the district as well as offers a grocery store-style pantry for families to shop for food, ensuring children have reliable access to food when school meals are unavailable. Each weekly bag includes breakfasts, a family meal item, a quick kid-friendly food such as macaroni or ramen, protein, fruit or vegetables and snacks. The bags are packed by students from REACH after school program and Marti Stevens Learning Center and delivered by students from Marti Stevens Learning Center.

250 holiday boxes

During the December holiday break, the program expands further through a community-sponsored “Boxes of Giving” initiative, distributing 250 holiday boxes filled with food staples and special seasonal treats.

*Ryan Gilbert, left and Brian Perry, right, employees at Hight Auto Group delivering food to MSAD #54 & SCTC Backpack Program. Courtney of MSAD #54 & SCTC Backpack Program and Pantry*.

1,000 pounds

In addition to the backpack program, the district operates a grocery store-style pantry that serves families from infants as young as six weeks old through Adult Education students. The pantry offers food, toiletries, diapers, and feminine hygiene products, with no income verification required—only household size and school affiliation. Families may shop for up to three bags of groceries plus unlimited fresh produce, which is provided free through Good Shepherd Food Bank. On average, the pantry distributes more than 1,000 pounds of produce each week.

112 additional households

The need is growing. In just one month this school year, 112 unique households accessed the pantry, many waiting one to two hours before opening. Volunteers report seeing more grandparents, great-grandparents, teens and newly enrolled families, reflecting broader economic pressures, including cuts to SNAP and TEFAP benefits and rising food costs.

100% volunteer

The entire operation is 100% volunteer-run and supported through partnerships with Good Shepherd Food Bank, New Balance Foundation, John T. Gorman Foundation, and generous community donors, including Hight Family of Dealerships, who deliver produce weekly to our satellite locations at the individual schools. Despite this support, challenges remain: limited funding, fluctuating food availability, long wait times due to space constraints and restrictions on expanding food bank purchasing. Community support is critical to sustaining this work. Donations, volunteers, and local partnerships directly help keep shelves stocked, bags filled and families fed. Learn more at sctc4me.com and make a donation today.