Rev. Dr. Ron Baard, M.Div., M.A.,Ph.D., is retired emeritus professor of pastoral studies at Bangor Theological Seminary. He lives in Brunswick.

In the picturesque coastal towns of Bath and Brunswick, it is easy to let the beauty of our surroundings mask a difficult reality: hunger does not take a day off. Every time I shop for some of our family’s groceries at our local Hannaford or at the Brunswick Farmers Market, I am so aware of what a privilege it is to afford to buy nourishing food each week for my wife and myself.

And this feeling has helped me also recognize that there are many hidden needs in our community. Do we truly “see” our neighbors’ needs? My participation in our local YMCA now includes more than swimming laps in the pool. I have discovered the joyful experience of volunteering twice a month as a deliverer of groceries for some of our nearby neighbors in need. The traditional image of the Bath and Brunswick YMCA as just a place for personal fitness is being fundamentally rewritten; for today, it serves as a vital engine for local food security.

At the heart of this effort is the Veggie Van. This mobile pantry winds through our neighborhoods a few days each week, bridging the gap between those who have plenty and those currently struggling to fill their plates. To help alleviate hunger is a logistical challenge, but to do so with dignity is a relational one. Empathy and compassion grow as I meet new neighbors and offer a ministry of presence in brief chats at the door while delivering a box of healthy food.

The success of such an undertaking requires visionary leadership. I want to specifically recognize Jennifer Connelie, the food program coordinator at the Bath Area Family YMCA. Jennifer’s stewardship of the Veggie Van ensures that nutritious food reaches families who are often isolated by a lack of mobility or adequate transportation. Her work ensures that “community” — a core value of the YMCA — remains a practice, not just a place.

However, the Y does not work in a vacuum. Its partnership with the Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program (MCHPP) in Brunswick offers a hopeful design for nonprofit cooperation. A crucial figure in this synergy is Laddy DeLuca Lowell, the grocery delivery coordinator at MCHPP. Laddy’s expertise in coordinating door-to-door deliveries in Brunswick provides more than just sustenance; it provides the psychological safety of knowing one is not forgotten.

Today, when so many of our institutions are under suspicion, it is a joy to see such strong local organizations as the Bath-Brunswick YMCA and MCHPP cooperating so successfully. It makes for a healthier and stronger society.

In Brunswick, the expansion of the Veggie Van routes — from the Maritime Apartments to the neighborhoods of the Landing — has been amazing. The positive impact of all of this extends not just to those receiving but works to deepen the spirit of the volunteers themselves.

I was so touched by one woman in the apartments who on several occasions, after receiving her box of food, pressed a $10 bill into my hand — money she really could not afford to give away — saying, “I’m so grateful — please make sure this gets to MCHPP.” It calls to mind the story of the widow’s mite in the New Testament. Each time that happened, it brightened my day to double back to MCHPP and pass her donation on to Laddy DeLuca Lowell, along with the story, thus brightening her day as well.

As we look toward the future of our region, let us celebrate the people like Jenn Connelie and Laddy DeLuca Lowell who work behind the scenes. The Veggie Van is on the road, and as long as it is, we can be proud of the “social infrastructure” we are building together.

For years in my professional life, I saw the joy that local volunteers felt while serving in a wide variety of community outreach programs and settings. When volunteers truly engaged with neighbors in need, the spiritual effect was ennobling. It is very fulfilling to once again know that feeling for myself. It has turned my “adjustment to retirement” into a pathway filled with gratitude.