LIVERMORE FALLS – Teenagers worked with their elders Thursday to unload a shipment of government surplus food and stock shelves at the Tri-Town Ministerial Food Cupboard.

High school students from the Teen Service Learning class and Jobs for Maine Graduates program were doing the project as part of their community service.

The basement of the Eaton Memorial United Methodist Church, where the cupboard is located, was quiet except for the occasional verbal directions and soft conversation and the moving wheels on the carts laden with 262 cases of nonperishables.

Once the plastic was stripped away from the cases of cans, students worked to get those items on the shelves.

Some students formed a chain as the food was moved down the line.

Volunteers from the community connected to the cupboard also stacked shelves and helped unload the goods from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“It takes us less than half the time to shelve it,” food cupboard board representative Mariette Castonguay said of the students’ assistance.

For the students, they learn about self-courage and to feel good about themselves for helping out, 17-year-old Megan Smith of Livermore Falls said.

Marley Stevens, 17, also from Livermore Falls and a fellow senior, said they also learn communication skills.

Castonguay said they’ve seen a big increase in requests for food supplies.

A week or two ago the cupboard served 88 families, another board representative, Aline Bryant said.

“Which was a record for us,” Castonguay added.

Everyone who comes in gets a prepackaged box, and if its a large family, they get a second box, she said.

The prepackaged items include baked beans, peanut butter, tuna, pasta and juice. Then items added while the person or family is there include cheese, canned vegetables and bread, Castonguay said.

There used to be more items but times are getting hard, she said. The government used to send meat but that stopped.

“We can only give what we have,” she said.

The cupboard is supported by churches in the Jay, Livermore and Livermore Falls area and donations, she said.

“We purchase hot dogs and hamburg,” Castonguay said, with grant money to give in the food packages.

The food drives the schools in the area hold help a lot, she said, because they often get different things to add to the packages.