Since 2015, the Essentials Pantry at St. Ann’s Episcopal Church in Windham has been a beacon of Christian hospitality and service to the community by providing personal and household items that EBT cards and local food pantries do not offer.
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| The Essentials Pantry at St. Ann's Episcopal Church in Windham is a collaborative effort between St. Ann's and Faith Lutheran Church and the Windham Ecumenical Churches. Open monthly, it serves those in need in Windham, Raymond, Standish and Casco areas with cleaning products and personal hygiene items, toilet paper, shampoo and toothpaste. FILE PHOTO |
The idea behind the Essentials Pantry originated when a community member unexpectedly dropped off rolls of paper towels into the collections basket at a St. Ann’s church service after having read an article in The Windham Eagle about items that the Windham Food Pantry didn’t provide. After that, an initiative was launched through a grant from the church diocese for $3,000, which was used to create the Essentials Pantry.
Since its inception, the Essentials Pantry remains a place for people in need to obtain many household items and products that they can’t obtain elsewhere, and it remains free to use for anyone who is able to meet the location requirement.
Community members are encouraged to assist the Essentials Pantry program through donations of personal hygiene and cleaning products such as liquid laundry detergents and deodorants.
Donations come from parishioners, through public donations, cash donations, and through church budgets, which assist the Essentials Pantry in purchasing items and products to be given away to participants.
In previous years, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church and other area churches have taken up collections for the Essentials Pantry and have donated items and cash to the program. Some joint services between local churches at Thanksgiving and on other occasions have donated monetary collections to the Essentials Pantry. One local ecumenical service raised $350 in cash, which was enough for three months of products for the pantry.
Area Girl Scout troops have made bars of soap for the pantry, and a group of local dentists have donated toothbrushes and toothpaste, but stocking the Essentials Pantry is an ongoing effort and organizers say that donations are always welcome.
The Essentials Pantry is open to the public monthly. It also has a limited supply of non-perishable food items available, such canned foods and cereals.
Participants should bring their own shopping bags and entry to the Essentials Pantry is made through the lower-level door at the church. Proof of residency is required such as a CMP bill, with the address for anyone living in the Windham, Raymond, Standish or Casco area.
St. Ann’s Episcopal Church and Faith Lutheran Church officially became “partners in faith” in July 2023 with the governing bodies of both churches unanimously voting to collaborate as a ‘family in spirit’ while also keeping separate physical locations. St. Ann’s also partners with Windham Hill United Church of Christ, 140 Windham Center Road in Windham to provide a free community meal that rotates locations between the two churches from 5 to 6 p.m. on Thursdays.
The next time that the Essentials Pantry will be open will be from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 22 at St. Ann's Episcopal Church, 40 Windham Center Road in Windham.
Items for donation to the Essentials Pantry can be dropped off at the church or by calling 207-892-8447. Those interested in donating are asked to make sure there is a current expiration date on products being donated. <
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