Laura Brett

Laura Brett — AIO Food Pantry

Laura Brett’s project explored the AIO Food Pantry in Rockland, Maine, a vital hub where more than 300 volunteers sort and distribute food to support neighbors facing rising costs of living. With many residents relying on fixed incomes, the pantry plays a crucial role in helping families make ends meet.

A busy hub of volunteers sort food as it arrives at the AIO food pantry. With over 300 volunteers helping their fellow community members make ends meet with rising food costs, with many on fixed Social Security and other inflationary costs.
Seniors like Rita Wiley of Rockland, Maine reaches for a fresh container of spinach as she is able to pick out her own food for the week at the AIO food pantry. The pantry is run by over 300 volunteers and provides a vital service to the community, helping them make ends meet with many on a fixed income with Social Security.
Rob Holloway of Rockland Maine is the Market Director of the AIO food pantry that now includes making home deliveries stops by to drop off food to Robert Reynolds. This provides not just food but social interaction to those who are house bound.
Paul Martin of Rockland, Maine, is one of over 300 volunteers who keep the AIO food pantry running and the shelves stocked. Paul’s work along with other volunteer’s help their fellow community members make ends meet with rising food costs and many on fixed Social Security and other inflationary costs.
One of over 300 volunteers at the AIO food pantry keep the lights and and the community food service running. Many of the volunteers are recipients of the food program helping them to make ends meet with rising food costs.
Ida Sullivan and Rita Wiley both of Rockland, Maine, load up their cars after collecting food from the AIO food pantry. They both say that getting their favorite foods and socializing at the pantry is the highlight of their week. The weekly trip also helps them make ends meet with rising food costs on a fixed Social Security and also provides vital social time and connection to their community.
Ida Sullivan gives her grandchildren a hug after returning home from the AIO food pantry and feeding them lunch from pantry.
Rob Holloway, the AIO food pantry Market Director wears a lot of hats in keeping it running. He stops by a local deli and picks up two tubs of sauerkraut that has been donated. It was gone as soon as it hit the AIO shelves.
The Good Shepard food distribution warehouse that provides the local food pantry of Rockland Maine, AIO with vital food supplies to help keep the service going.
Ida Sullivan and Rita Wiley both of Rockland, Maine, arrive two hours early to get an entry ticket and socialize with their friends in the community as a highlight to their week. They meet at the AIO food pantry. This helps them make ends meet with rising food costs on fixed Social Security but also provides vital social time and connection to their community.
Ray Randalls at customer at the AIO food pantry is able to pick out the exact foods that are to his preference. He is helped at the fresh meat and fish counter.
The AIO food pantry includes home delivery for those who are housebound. The food pantry is set to distribute over a million pounds of food this year.
Ida Sullivan and Rita Wiley both of Rockland, Maine, shop every Friday at the AIO food pantry. This helps them make ends meet with rising food costs on a fixed Social Security but also provides vital social time and connection to their community.
Rita Wiley and Ida Sullivan both of Rockland, Maine, as a highlight to their week, meet every Friday at the AIO food pantry. This helps them make ends meet with rising food costs on fixed Social Security but also provides vital social time and connection to their community.
Ida Sullivan and Rita Wiley stop and chat with Dori, one of over 300 volunteers who keep the AIO food pantry going with a vital service to the community, helping them make ends meet with rising food costs, with many on a fixed income of Social Security.

I’m Leia Acosta, a passionate photograp

A young mother shops with her baby at the AIO Market and Food Pantry, started 35 years ago has been providing food to the community to help members make ends meet. They provide not just free food for the community but also diapers, formula and some beauty products.


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