Partners in Ending Hunger is a non-profit group dedicated to measuring and then addressing the very real issues of hunger and food insecurity in our communities and across our state.

We all know what hunger is, but what is food insecurity? Food insecurity is not knowing where your next meal- or the food to feed your family- will come from. You may look around your own neighborhood and wonder if hunger or food insecurity is a concern in your town. Oh, yes, they both are! How much of a concern? That's just what Partners in Ending Hunger plans to find out.

Partnering with a group of concerned citizens in both the Old Town-Orono area and Knox County, Partners in Ending Hunger recently measured the extent of hunger and food insecurity in those areas. The results were surprising. Hunger and food insecurity are significantly higher in both of these communities than the national or state averages.

A group of concerned citizens is now preparing to look at these issues in Portland and greater Cumberland County, and we need your help. Thirteen agencies including Preble Street Resource Center, PROP, The Wayside Soup Kitchen, Cultivating Community, The Root Cellar and The United Way of Greater Portland, are combining their efforts to survey 500 households in Portland and 500 additional households in Cumberland County. The survey will be conducted over the telephone. We need 60 volunteers to conduct this Survey. Will you help? Will you volunteer to be a Surveyor?

• Each Surveyor will be asked to commit to 15-18 hours over a 6-7 week period.

• Each Surveyor will receive three hours of training.

• Calling sessions are a variety of times. You pick what works for you.

• All training and survey work will take place in the greater Portland area.

No child should go to school hungry. No parent should be worried about feeding his/her family. No elder should face an empty cupboard. Any neighbor in need should be a concern to us, each and all. We invite you to join us in taking on the goal of ending hunger in our neighborhoods and communities.

We invite you to be a partner in ending hunger in your community. Call Charlie Frair at 207/553-2056 to offer your help or get more information.