SUMNER — Since September, a small crew of dedicated volunteers has worked on an addition to the Congregational Church of East Sumner to house the supplies for the Sumner Food Bank.

The church has stored and distributed the food to Sumner residents for decades, but has recently run out of room. The Church Council decided in 2011 to build an addition that would hold the food stores, a refrigerator and freezer and cupboards. Kate Chesley designed the room, RCAM donated cabinets, Sumner residents voted to raise $1,000 at the Annual Town Meeting and Hannaford Brothers donated $6,000. Church members pledged $5,000 and volunteer labor.

Local carpenter and former Region 11 building trades instructor Jim Durfee agreed to take on the project to close it in before winter. Tom Bragg, Mike Dowd, James Gammon, Bill Glass and Mike Norton have helped with the construction and David Bragg has donated gravel. Others have signed up to work on the interior over the winter.

Food bank supervisor Violet Enman says that more than 20 families visit the food bank each month and many of them are in dire need of assistance. She said that RCAM is no longer able to provide food but that Community Concepts and USDA donate on a quarterly basis.

Although many of the families received Thanksgiving baskets from the church, she is worried about the families over the next few months and is afraid that she will not have enough food for them. She will not be able to pick up more food supplies until March.

The food bank does receive donations from anonymous donors, Hannaford Brothers and the annual US Postal Workers collection, and sometimes the two local schools during the holiday season. The knitting group at A Wrinkle in Thyme Farm has just pledged donations of food and personal care items.

Donations of cash and food goods are greatly appreciated and may be brought to the church on the first and third Mondays from 9 a.m. to noon or the Sumner Town Office Tuesday through Saturday. For information call Cynthia Norton at 388-2667.