The donation was made during Acadia FCU’s annual meeting and member appreciation picnic held at Fort Kent’s Riverside Park. Acadia welcomed over 450 of their members and friends from the community to enjoy a free meal, while taking the opportunity to present $25,219 to representatives from area food pantries and food assistance programs.

“I am extremely proud of our staff for their dedication to fundraising throughout the year,” said David Desjardins, President/CEO of Acadia FCU. “One hundred percent of all the funds we raise go back to our communities. It is incredibly satisfying to be able to significantly impact our local communities in this way.” 

As the meeting closed, Desjardins presented donation checks to representatives from area food pantries and food assistance programs. Representatives of First Assembly of God Food Pantry, St. John Vianney Parish Food Pantry, Aroostook Area Agency on Aging / Meals on Wheels program, Ashland Food Pantry, Greater Fort Kent Ecumenical Food Pantry, and Notre Dame du Mont Carmel Food Pantry were on-hand to receive checks at the annual meeting, while representatives from Our Lady of the Valley, MSAD 33 Take Home Program, Seeds of Hope Food Pantry, Bangor Area Homeless Shelter, Brewer Area Food Pantry, The Salvation Army of Bangor, and Manna Ministries Food Pantry received checks off-site.

Maine credit unions began raising money to end hunger in 1990 and since then, have raised over $8.5 million to combat hunger in the state. Statistics show that several groups are found to be at greater risk of hunger in Maine: children, low-income families; disabled persons; persons with special needs; the elderly; and people living in rural regions and the inner cities of Maine’s largest urban places. One out of five children in Maine are food insecure and 18% of Maine children live in poverty.

Acadia FCU’s fundraising efforts for the 2019 Maine Credit Unions’ Campaign for Ending Hunger are well underway.