AUBURN – Five County Credit Union Branches throughout Maine recently rallied their members and employees to support families with school children by having a school supply drive to benefit Good Shepherd Food-Bank and the nonprofit agencies served through Good Shepherd’s network.

Donated school supplies of all types will help families in need and $140 was also raised by auctioning a giant basket full of Crayola brand products.

Jennifer Andersen, training specialist for Five County Credit Union’s main office in Bath, said, “The idea is to help families who visit Good Shepherd Food-Bank for food to also get help in preparing for their child’s upcoming school year. Schools often present long lists of supplies to parents who shouldn’t have to choose between providing their children with tools for education and feeding their families.”

Good Shepherd Food-Bank Agency Relations Manager Jason Hall said the agencies were thrilled to have the products available in time to distribute to families and school children in need.

“It may be surprising to some, but it is not uncommon for us to hear that there is a need for products other than food, even from soup kitchen workers and pantries. Our partner agencies know and work very closely with the clients they serve. They are in the front lines and are specifically aware of what families might be in need of,” he said.

JoAn Chartier, public relations coordinator for the food bank, recounts a story told to her a couple of years ago by a former director of a local soup kitchen. Two teenage brothers had spent a fair amount of time at their local soup kitchen throughout the summer.

They’d become friends of the workers and often showed up early to help peel potatoes and stayed behind to clean up and sweep. It had become evident to the kitchen staff that the boys had little at home. The soup kitchen meals were probably all they were getting to eat from day to day and they’d taken a liking to having a safe place to hang out.

On the day prior to school, the soup kitchen director had said to them, “So, are you boys ready for the big day tomorrow?” Suddenly, the eyes of younger of the brother hit the floor and she knew she’d hit on a sensitive subject.

The older of the two, speaking on behalf of his younger brother, said, ” No way. It’s the same story. Mom promised that this year would be different and we’d be ready but we don’t even have pens or a notebook.”

Motioning to his younger sibling, he continued, “Tomorrow is his first day at middle school and he’s pretty nervous about it. In elementary school, the teachers often have all the supplies you need right in the classroom; scissors, markers, paper. But middle school is a different story. No one wants to show up and have to ask another student for pen and paper, especially on the first day. My brother has been really stressed out about that.”

The soup kitchen provided the boys with pens, markers and wirebound notebooks that had been obtained at the food-bank and stored away for a needful time. Gratitude had brought tears and hugs from the middle schooler.

Chartier said, “You’ll often hear us say ‘It’s more than food’ about our work at the food bank. Our help and support to our agencies allows them to stretch their dollars to provide a variety of services in communities, services that have ripple effects and real impact on people’s lives. So often we’re told about how our help has given people hope during a time of despair and we hear personal stories of how lives have been changed. It really is more than food. Our work is vital in helping to bridge people through tough times in many ways. And the rewards,” said Chartier, “well, there isn’t enough money in all the world to put a price on that.”

Five County Credit Union has branches in Auburn, Augusta, Bath, Falmouth, Lewiston, Portland, Rockland, Topsham, Waterville and Windham.