In February 2019, the St. Mary’s Food Pantry reopened with a transformed space and a new “store-like” model that prioritizes guest choice. This model is informed by the belief that people best know their own food needs and can choose their own items when given the opportunity. The goal is to further increase agency and dignity, while also providing food stability.
In addition to providing food assistance, the St. Mary’s Food Pantry seeks to offer a warm and welcoming environment where neighbors from different communities can get to know one another, build relationships, and connect to additional resources. In addition to receiving food, each incoming guest meets with a Nutrition Center staff where they have the opportunity to identify needs and share concerns. Nutrition Center staff partner with area agencies to provide literature and resources around critical needs such as housing, clothing, and childcare.
Visit the Food Pantry
Location: 208 Bates Street in Lewiston, on the corner of Bates and Walnut
Phone: 207-513-3841
Pantry Hours
Tuesday: 1PM-6PM
Friday: 9AM-12PM
For safety reasons we ask that guests not line up outside the building before we open at 11 am. Please arrive during the open hours only. Being first does not offer an advantage in terms of food selection or quantity, and different choices may be available later in the day.
Guests can visit one time per household per calendar week, Tuesday thru Friday.
First-Time Visits
First-time guests, or guests who have not been to the pantry since before February 2019 will be asked to participate in a brief intake process. If possible, we ask that guests bring some form of photo identification and a piece of mail, car registration with proof of address for this first intake. Guests without an address or ID will receive food regardless.
It is also helpful for guests to bring their own plastic or reusable shopping bags to carry food home.
Food Quantity and Selection
Guests to the pantry choose one shopping basket of food regardless of household size or other factors. We prioritize having fresh produce and we try to carry meat, eggs and/or milk when possible. No food item is guaranteed at any specific time or day as we can only distribute what we can get! We do post a daily menu inside the food pantry so that guests can check what options might be available that day.
To find other places to get food in our community, visit the Good Shepherd Food Bank’s Food Map at http://www.gsfb.org/help/food-map/