Waterville Rotary Club recently took $15,000 from reserves to offer grants addressing area food insecurity.
The Community Services Committee, chaired by KVCAP’s Michele Prince, was charged with developing grant criteria, an application and scoring process for the committee members to fairly evaluate the applications. The maximum possible allotment was $3,000 per application, and the request needed to be submitted by a 501c3.
Because of the demonstrated need in the area, the committee contributed the total of its cups and fines donations for two months to this effort as well, allowing for a total contribution in grants of $15,534.00.
Rotary accepted eight applications, with the following recipients recommended by the committee and ratified by the Rotary board:
• Central Maine Gleaners: Community Fridge Program with a fridge located in Waterville and food available to all, was awarded: $1,950.
• Waterville Area Essentials Closet & Starfish Village/First Congregational Church: The Essentials Closet offers items to anyone in need in the greater Waterville area. Starfish Village helps homeless families and individuals with needs not met by other services. Amount awarded: $2,850.
• Palmyra Baptist Worship Food Bank/Soup Kitchen: Purchase of a commercial stove to continue food provision to multiple community residents. Amount awarded: $1,000.
• Oakland Food Pantry: Serves residents of Oakland, and no person in need is turned away. Amount awarded: $1,384.
• Mid-Maine Homeless Shelter: Offers bed nights and essential items to vulnerable and low-wealth Mainers in need of shelter. Amount awarded: $2,000.
• Interfaith Resource Fund: Meets emergency needs of residents of Waterville and Winslow for housing, food, and other essentials. Amount awarded: $2,000.
• Boys & Girls Club of Greater Waterville: Provisions of all-day care, meals, snacks and weekend meal backpacks for area youth throughout Kennebec County. Amount awarded: $2,850.
• Northern Light Health: Provision of food and essential items through Women’s Health. Planning expansion of services. Amount awarded: $1,500.
For more information about Waterville Rotary and its programs, visit watervillerotary.com.
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