Resources for Times of Food and Financial Stress

— By Spoonful Bloggers, University of Maine Cooperative Extension

When circumstances create financial or food insecurity, University of Maine Cooperative Extension has resources that individuals and organizations may find helpful.

Below is a list of UMaine Extension publications and websites, as well as a few external resources that may be helpful as you or your organization work to meet the needs of Mainers.

A helpful tip to keep in mind: If you are planning a food drive, contact the food pantry or organization first to ask what items they need. An organization may prefer a financial donation because they can often purchase food in bulk at a discount, which allows them to serve more people.

Publications

• Bulletin #4304, A Food Pantry Wish List
• Bulletin #4302, Food Safety for Food Pantry Donations
• Bulletin #4306, Is This Can Safe to Use?
• Bulletin #4384, Freezing Vegetables
• Bulletin #4383, Freezing Fruits
• How to Prepare Dry Beans
• All Food Preservation Publications
• All Food and Health Publications

Extension Websites

• Maine Harvest for Hunger Recipes and Resources – Resources about how to use, choose, and store Maine produce commonly donated to food pantries.
• Mainly Dish Recipe page – Recipes that use low-cost and easily accessible ingredients that can be shared broadly.

Additional Resources

• Good Shepherd Food Bank’s Food Map – Use the map to find local food resources.