Confronting Food Insecurity in Maine: The Story of Neighbor’s Cupboard

Wed Oct 22 2025 09:41:40 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Despite a dedicated team of volunteers, Neighbor’s Cupboard faces escalating challenges due to food shortages and increased demand in Maine's rural communities.

In Winterport, Maine, Neighbor’s Cupboard operates under the direction of 78-year-old Phylis Allen, who tirelessly manages food supplies for local families amid significant challenges. With increasing demand for food assistance and a diminishing volunteer base, Allen and her team are determined to continue serving their community despite rising obstacles posed by cuts to federal food programs and a shift towards a senior volunteer workforce.

WINTERPORT, Maine (AP) — Phylis Allen spends her days looking for affordable food choices. She visits Sam's Club for potatoes, Walmart, and other local stores, monitoring prices on essential items like butter and cheese to support Neighbor’s Cupboard, a food pantry she has helped run for 17 years.

Each Monday, Allen shops at multiple locations, keeping track of prices and customer preferences. Recently, she scored a good deal on eggs, costing $2.82 per dozen, for families relying on the pantry's weekly support.

With around 15% of residents in rural Waldo County facing food insecurity, akin to state and national averages, food pantries in Maine, including Neighbor’s Cupboard, are experiencing unprecedented challenges due to decreasing supplies and growing demand.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced it will cease its food insecurity statistics after October, citing politicization of the issue. However, local food pantries are feeling the cuts from various federal programs that directly support hunger relief efforts.

Federal Cuts Deepen the Crisis

Recent federal cuts exceeding $1 billion from the Emergency Food Assistance Program further strain food banks. As demand for assistance increases, Feeding America warns that food pantries may soon face critical shortages.

More than 75% of the nearly 600 hunger relief organizations in Maine operate solely on volunteer support. Yet, Allen notes that retaining volunteers—predominantly seniors—is becoming increasingly difficult, as many face health issues or family obligations.

A Community Effort

On a typical Wednesday, Neighbor’s Cupboard buzzes with activity as volunteers like Keith Ritchie, 89, greet clients and ensure fairness in food distribution. Ritchie has built rapport over 17 years, emphasizing the importance of community relations despite the anonymity of many clients.

However, recent shifts in the volunteer landscape show that younger residents are less likely to engage. While Maine has the third-highest volunteer rate nationally, only 20% of millennials contribute, making reliance on a more senior volunteer workforce unsustainable.

As volunteer efforts decline, the state's food banks face operational hurdles, often having to turn away excess supplies due to inadequate staffing. For Allen, maintaining service levels means ensuring a consistent volunteer presence capable of lifting and distributing heavy food shipments, necessitating both effort and dedication.

Ultimately, Allen remains resolute in confronting upcoming challenges, pledging that Neighbor’s Cupboard will continue to serve all community members in need, rejecting restrictive changes on service protocol.