Oakhurst Dairy gives $300K to fight childhood hunger in Maine
Oakhurst Dairy will donate $300,000 over the next three years to fight childhood hunger in Maine.
The Portland-based company said in a news release Friday that it will provide the funding through Full Plates Full Potential, a statewide nonprofit that leads a coalition of advocates and corporate partners focused on food insecurity.
To kick off the collaboration between Oakhurst and Full Plates, the two announced nearly $30,000 in grants that will fund supplies and staff for after-school programs.
Recipients are: My Place Teen Center, in Westbrook; Regional School Unit 24, Sullivan; the Boys and Girls Club of Southern Maine, Portland, South Portland and Lewiston/Auburn; Portland Public Schools; the Lewiston YWCA; the Boys and Girls Club of Augusta; the Penobscot Boys and Girls Club; the Alfond Youth and Community Center, Waterville; and the Old Town/Orono YMCA.
Gov. Janet Mills said in the release, “Through this new partnership and innovative program, Oakhurst and Full Plates Full Potential will provide nutritious meals outside of school to thousands more children across Maine, helping them to live healthier lives and positioning them for greater success. I applaud Oakhurst and Full Plates Full Potential for their work to ensure no child goes hungry in Maine.”
It’s estimated that 80,000 school-aged children in Maine — 43% of all children in the state — rely each day on reduced-price breakfast and lunch for their nutrition. For some of these children, lunch is the last meal of their day, meaning many of Maine’s children go to bed hungry.
“Many kids leave school with lunch being their last meal of the day and that’s simply not OK,” said Oakhust President John Bennett. “At Oakhurst, we want every kid to have access to the nutrition they need so they can grow, learn and ultimately reach their full potential.”
Justin Alfond, co-founder of Full Plates Full Potential, said, “When Oakhurst reached out to us and wanted to better understand Maine’s child hunger issue, we were of course excited. As we spoke, it became clear to us that they really wanted to identify and support a currently unsolved need … We believe the Oakhurst After School grant program can have a tremendous impact.”
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