Food Pantry
Everyone is welcome at Gather to Grow’s food pantry where each week 500+ guests choose from a wide range of fresh and cultural foods through our “free food store.”
Gather to Grow and the Food Pantry will be CLOSED Monday December 22nd THRU Friday, December 26th. The Food Pantry will be open again on Tuesday, January 30th.
Location
Gather to Grow’s food pantry is located at 208 Bates Street in Lewiston. The entrance to the food pantry is in the back of the building.
Hours
Our hours of operation are: Tuesdays, 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm and Fridays, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm.
Parking
Tuesdays: ON STREET PARKING ONLY. Our parking lot is closed for most of Tuesday for safety reasons. Be mindful of parking lot restrictions along Bates Street and Blake Street.
Fridays: ON STREET AND PARKING LOT. The parking lot is open but can fill up quickly; please consider on street parking first.
Identification (ID)
Guests to the pantry do not need to show proof of residence or income. It is helpful however, to bring identification (ID) for the first visit to register but no one is turned away without information.
How Often to Visit
Community is welcome to visit the pantry one time per week per household, either Tuesday OR Friday. This guideline helps us ensure that families receive groceries at least once during a week.
Tuesdays are our busiest day, especially between 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm. We ask people who have flexible schedules to visit after 3:30 pm on Tuesday or after 10:00 am on Friday. We also encourage people who struggle with crowds to come later on Tuesday or visit on Friday.
Scroll to the bottom for more details on “how the pantry works.”
What We Offer
- A grocery style food pantry where people can choose their food
- Fresh fruits and vegetables, canned goods, dry goods, frozen meat, bread and when possible eggs & milk*
- Language support and translation: Gather to Grow staff speak a wide range of languages including French, Lingala, Portuguese, Spanish, Somali and Swahili. For languages we cannot speak we use translators to support communication. We are always happy to accomodate!
What We Ask of Guests
- Visit our food pantry only one time per calendar week (Monday thru Friday) either Tuesday OR Friday, not both days
- Do not send others from your household to shop at the pantry the same day or the same week you have already visited
- Take only the food you will use and enjoy to limit waste and leave enough for others
- Bring a reusable shopping bag for your food when you visit if possible
Gather what we need.
“It is a wonderful place to get nutritious food! The staff and volunteers are there because they care.“
– Pantry Guest
How the Food Pantry Works
The entrance to the food pantry is in the back of the building at 208 Bates Street.
Upon arriving, you will receive a number. On Tuesdays, numbers are given out beginning at 11:00 am. On Fridays numbers are given out beginning at 8:00 am.
Once the pantry opens, numbers are called and you and other guests will enter the building where you will check-in at our registration desk with your name. After check-in, you will wait in our waiting area until your number is called one final time. You’ll then enter our pantry store and choose your groceries, staying within the number guidelines.
First Time Visits
The first time you visit the food pantry you will be asked to provide the following information: name, address, date of birth, number of people in your household, number of children in your household.
You do not need to show proof of residence or income. It is helpful for you to bring identification (ID) for your first visit. No one is turned away for not being able to provide some or most of this information.
Why Numbers?
For a time, we used to run the food pantry without people receiving numbers. However, our food pantry has grown and we now see a lot of people in a very short amount of time, speaking many languages, that we have found that numbers help all of us stay more organized, calm, and comfortable.
Find Food
Food Resource Guide for Androscoggin County – CURRENTLY BEING UPDATED CHECK BACK
Lewiston Auburn Food Pantries – CURRENTLY BEING UPDATED CHECK BACK
State-wide Food Map through Good Shepherd Food Bank – English
Food Assistance by County – English
Volunteer
Our Food Pantry is people powered! We move more than 10,000 lbs of food through our building every week and sometimes serve up to 600 households. If you are able and interested to help please take a moment and fill out our volunteer application. We are especially looking for help unloading food on Mondays between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm.
