Kennebunk Savings Bank Foundation Commits $15,000 to Reduce Food Insecurity

The Kennebunk Savings Bank Foundation is honoring the spirit of the holiday season with a round of giving to local food pantries and meal sites. “As a community bank, we’ve been attuned to the rising need in our communities for the last several years,” said Lex Meagher, the Bank’s President. “We donate and volunteer to alleviate food insecurity year-round, but it’s important to push a little further for the holiday season.” The Bank’s end-of-year giving totals $15,000 in donations to over 25 organizations across their service region.

One donation recipient is Gather, a Portsmouth-based food pantry and nonprofit that has seen a 24% increase in demand since 2023. “Gather has distributed 1.6 million pounds of food in the last 12 months,” said Danny Edgecomb, Kennebunk Savings’ Director of Insurance, 1871 Group, and board member at Gather. “The team has really stepped up and met the moment. But the lines are getting longer and the demand is getting more urgent.”

Jackie Jimenez, Assistant Branch Manager at the Bank’s Portsmouth office, volunteers frequently at Seacoast Community Lunch, a free weekly meal program offered to anyone in the community and hosted at the Middle Street Church in Portsmouth. “I like volunteering here because it gets me out in the community, meeting new people and hearing their stories,” Jimenez said. Kennebunk Savings has an active culture of volunteering, with over 11,800 hours collectively volunteered last year. Seacoast Community Lunch is also the recipient of a holiday season donation from the Bank.

Another donation was issued to The Little Pantry, a 24/7 accessible food pantry run by the Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, Arundel Chamber of Commerce. It’s located on the porch of the Chamber’s offices in Downtown Kennebunk and is maintained by a team of volunteers. The Bank’s contribution will help to keep the pantry stocked over the holiday season. “We’re a tiny part of the safety net that exists in our community,” said Laura Dolce, the Chamber’s Executive Director. “If you need something, take it. It’s there for you.”