About Us
Come Spring Food Pantry Has Been Serving Western Knox County & Beyond Since 1991
Who We Are
For over 2 decades Come Spring Food Pantry been has been working to help food insecure members of our community. Originally located in the Thompson Community Center, we are now housed in a bright red building located at 27 Common Rd. here in Union, ME just off RT 17.
We moved to our new location in 2021 and since that time, we’ve been able to expand our offerings to include a shopper’s choice model for our pantry (as opposed to pre-prepared boxes to distribute), an ever expanding garden, and we’re now working to complete our certified kitchen!
As a volunteer run 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, we have been able to reach this point through the generosity of our community, and the hard work, and dedication of our volunteers.
We’ve also been able to grow to meet the increasing need of our area through our continued community partnerships. In fact, one of our partners, the Knox County Gleaners, became part of Come Spring Food Pantry just a few years ago. In 2023 the KCG was in danger of disappearing. But instead, we began a collaboration that would strengthen both organizations!
Addressing Food Insecurity
While Union and Midcoast Maine in general may at times feel like quiet, picturesque rural America, many in our community face food insecurity. Rising costs, limited job opportunities, limited housing, and unexpected hardships leave families and individuals struggling to put food on the table. That’s why Come Spring Food Pantry is here, to ensure that no one in our community has to go hungry. Food insecurity does not look the same for everybody, and we are here to support those struggling no matter their status.
We believe a visible food pantry and hub reflect on the values of the community. A healthy, caring community shows inclusion, equity, and healthy, sustainable food access to all. It shows a capacity to help those in need and help each other: neighbors helping neighbors.
We Value & Prioritize
Healthy Food For All!
Our commitment to offering healthy, nutritious food to our neighbors in needs is unwavering. And we are always working toward new options for meeting this goal.
Promoting Health & Hope
We work to promote health and hope in Western Knox County and beyond by welcoming everyone to our pantry and ensuring those that need food receive it.
Our Community
We seek to work together to uplift community voices, and we realize community support is essential to all that we do. Thank you for supporting our work!
Our Vision
Our vision is to offer a pantry space that’s welcoming, providing respect, dignity, and compassion to our neighbors in need. We aim to provide good, healthy food in a client-choice shopping area that meets the cultural and dietary needs of those in our community. We also look toward the future with the hope of meeting the continually growing number of those who are food insecure.
It is with this in mind that we’re working toward completing our certified kitchen in the fall of 2026. This space will provide opportunities for us to serve our community more efficiently, while expanding our offerings to include, among other things, ready-to-heat-and-eat meals. The kitchen will also expand our ability to process and share all the gleaned items brought in by the Knox County Gleaners, as well as give us space to provide cooking and food safety education, while also building partnerships with area farmers and chefs.
In addition, we’re working hard to transform the outside areas surrounding Come Spring Food Pantry into grow to give gardens, utilizing our land coupled with local support for seeds, soil, and other needs. This will allow us to provide even more fresh, healthy food to our neighbors.
As we continue to grow we look ahead to ensure we can meet the needs of our community well into the future. And we know it is our amazing community support and partnerships that will make it all possible.
