Ending Hunger

Coming soon: Totals revealed in February & distributed to local food pantries!

Thank you to everyone that contributed to the campaign and supported local food pantries in our communities.

Thank you to all of the generous donors to our 2023 Ending Hunger Campaign. Your donations will go directly to fighting food insecurity in Maine. Together, we can change the lives of those in our communities for the better.

From November 15th through December 31st, donations made in person, over the phone, on video teller machines, and online were matched by UCU for a total of $18,935.50!

Details provided by food pantries. 

USM Campus Food Pantry 

• 331%-Increase in number of visits from 2020/2021 to 2021/2022
• 529%-Increase in number of household and personal goods distributed from 2020/2021 to 2021/2022
• 3100+ lbs. of food distributed to date through Fall 2022

Wayside Food Services 

• 2,900 seniors each month receiving groceries through the Commodity Supplemental Food Program
• 18,250 meals prepared and shared at Community Meals & Pop up Picnics
• 750 Thanksgiving meals
• 145,000 pounds of local food donated and salvaged

Preble Street 

• Food Programs: The largest direct service emergency food program in northern New England, distributing 600,000 meals a year to individuals, families, youth, and seniors who are living in poverty.
• Soup Kitchens: Operates 365 days a year at the Resource Center, Teen Center, and Florence House, to serve nutritious meals 3 times a day.
• Food Pantry: Provides emergency grocery boxes to 150-190 households each week.

UMFK Bengal Food Pantry

• Serves approximately 75-100 students, many of those students rely heavily on campus and community pantries.
• COVID has had an impact with currency conversions for some countries.  We have seen an increase in need especially with our international student population. We often hear: "this pantry helps us out so much."
• The partnership we have with UCU allows us to keep the shelved stocked on a weekly basis. Without the contribution, we would only be able to shop once a month.

Together we raised and matched a total of $40,185.15! Thank you to all that donated!

Learn more about the distribution to our local communities here:

Local pantries that received contributions from the 2022 campaign:

Black Bear Exchange (UMaine)
Bangor Ecumenical
Manna Ministries
Brewer Food Pantry
Community Cupboard
Neighbors Helping Neighbors
USM Food Pantry
Gorham Food Pantry
Wayside Food
Stroudwater Food
Catholic Charities
UMPI Emergency Food Pantry
UMF Thrifty Beaver
Wilton Food Cupboard
Care & Share Closet
St. Joseph's
RSU 9 Elementary
UMFK- Bengal Food Pantry
UMM- FOOD Club
UMA- Community Cupboard
UMA Bangor - Food for Thought

June 2022

Credit unions across Maine are dedicated to making a difference in their communities and collectively participate in the Maine Credit Unions’ Campaign for Ending Hunger. The Campaign has raised over $11.3 million since 1990 – over $930,000 in cash and food contributions in 2021 alone – with 100% of all funds raised going to organizations in Maine fighting food insecurity.

June is National Hunger Awareness Month and our credit union wants to help feed people in need in our community. From June 1 – June 30, UCU will be participating in the Maine Credit Unions’ Campaign for Ending Hunger $100,000 Challenge. As our state works to recover from the economic impact of COVID-19, we want to make sure individuals and families have continued access to healthy, nutritious meals.

For the past two years, the Campaign has launched a month-long $100,000 fundraising initiative in June to help Good Shepherd Food Bank, community food pantries, and schools meet the unprecedented demand for food. These efforts were enormously successful, with us meeting our $100,000 goal each year. With your help, we believe we can do it again!

Any donation amount helps. Please consider making a tax-deductible online donation. Visit https://campaignforendinghunger.org/ucu/. Your support will help ensure Maine families get the food they need.

Thanks to your generous donations along side the UCU match, together we raised $35,461!

Thank you to all who donated!

At UCU, we believe in being here for our communities. As we embark on year five of our ending hunger campaign, we would like to thank everyone that has donated, volunteered and made an impact over the years to help our friends and neighbors. This campaign is a regular event that food pantries count on to help the fight against the food insecurity. It could be a family down the road financially impacted by the pandemic or a university student struggling to balance classes with the need to work for income. For that reason, we want to do our part along with your help to support the local food pantries around us, including those on the university campuses and in your backyard.

Our campaign began five years ago with Ending Hunger on Campus, supporting food pantries across the University of Maine System campuses. Last year, we expanded our initiatives beyond the campuses into our communities around the state, because we are Here for U.

As we begin this season of giving, we ask that you consider donating to our Ending Hunger Campaign and support our local communities. Your donation will go far and make such an impact. 

For the fourth consecutive year, UCU will match up to $25,000 in donations to our Ending Hunger Campaign.

UCU is teaming up with Maine Football to Sack Hunger this Season. For every Black Bears sack, UCU will make a $50 donation to the Black Bear

Exchange, UMaine's Campus Food Pantry. Please consider making a donation yourself right here on our website. Please note in the comments: "Sack Hunger." UCU – Where Black Bears Bank.

UCU is dedicated to Ending Hunger in Maine. In 2021, UCU will match up to $25,000 in donations made to Ending Hunger! Donations can be made through UCU either online, by check, or in branch.

Thank you to everyone who donated to support the challenge! To learn more about the outcome visit the Maine Credit Union League website here.

Join UCU as we take part in the Maine Credit Unions Campaign for Ending Hunger $100,000 Challenge. Last year, the Challenge exceeded expectations and raised more than $230,000 to help hungry Mainers. Funds donated go back into our local communities through 75% reaching local food pantries and meal sites, and 25% reaching Good Shepherd Food Bank. To learn more about the Challenge, please visit the UCU Donation portal, and consider making a donation to help our neighbors.

We had a great turnout with this event and are proud to announce that we hit $5,000 donated to Campaign for Ending Hunger! Thank you to everyone that was able to dine in or take out during this time - supporting local restaurants - and giving to the Campaign for Ending Hunger in the process.

UCU is proud to share a new (and tasty) initiative, that supports Orono Restaurants and gives back. From June 22-24 visit the local Orono restaurants listed below and UCU will donate $5 per order to the Campaign for Ending Hunger. Not only can you help your neighbors in need, you'll also be supporting local businesses as they recover from the stress of the pandemic. UCU is here for U, and our Orono neighbors. Join us in dining out and giving back!

Participating restaurants:

• OHOP
• Woodman's
• The Common Loon
• Black Bear Nutrition
• The Family Dog
• Tacorita

Donation of $5 per order at participating businesses up to $5,000 in total donation by UCU.

If you cannot join us in Orono, consider making a donation to ending hunger on the UCU donation portal.

GO BLUE! Thanks to the 246 strikeouts by the Black Bears this season, UCU is donating $1,230 to the UMaine Black Bear Exchange.

UCU is teaming up with Maine Baseball and Softball to Strikeout Hunger this Season. For every Black Bears strikeout, UCU will make a $5 donation to the Black Bear Exchange, UMaine's Campus Food Pantry. Please consider making a donation yourself right here on our website. Please note in the comments: "Strikeout Hunger." UCU – Where Black Bears Bank.

UCU is dedicated to Ending Hunger in Maine. In 2021, UCU will match up to $25,000 in donations made to Ending Hunger! Donations can be made through UCU either online, by check, or in branch.

Thanks to your generous donations along side the UCU match, together we raised $47,545!

Thank you to all who donated!

At UCU, we believe in being here for our communities. This year more than ever, we recognize the need to help fight against the food insecurities that exist all around us. It could be a family down the road financially impacted by the pandemic or a university student struggling to balance classes with the need to work for income. For that reason, we want to do our part along with your help and that of our vendor partners to support the local food pantries around us, including those on the university campuses and in your backyard. You are likely familiar with our Ending Hunger on Campus campaign that has supported the eight food pantries across the University of Maine System campuses in the past. This year in these difficult times, we are expanding those initiatives beyond the campuses into our communities around the state, because we are Here for U.

As we embark on this season of giving, we ask that you consider donating to our Ending Hunger Campaign and support our local communities. Your donation will go far and make such an impact. 

For the third consecutive year, UCU matched up to $25,000 in donations to our Ending Hunger Campaign.

We hope you will help us to match it all, and so far this year we have raised and matched just over $10,000. We are off to a good start, but there is much more needed to get us there.  We’d like to give the gift of food to our neighbors in need this holiday season.

In years past you could show your support while in our branch lobbies with an in-person donation. While we truly do miss seeing you, we know this year is different than any other, so we’re ready to receive your social-distanced donations, in a safe and healthy manner.

Ending Hunger on Campus 2017 - 2019