Blogging for Good - Wayside Food Programs

Greetings! This post is part of the "Blogging for Good - Portland, Maine Edition 2011" challenge/initiative/campaign that you might have heard me talking about recently. This "Blogging for Good" thing is a call to local bloggers inviting them to publish a post between December 18th and 25th about a local organization or cause that they care about.  You can check out the "Blogging for Good" page on my website, or also read this article in today's Portland Daily Sun about this event. Thanks to everyone who has participated and also to all the folks who have read these great posts!

I decided to shine the spotlight on Wayside Food Programs for my Blogging for Good post. Their vision is simply stated as:

"All people should have access to the food they need"

It's a simple vision, and one that is easy to identify with. Whenever I've stepped back and examined the things in my life that are wants and the things that are needs, I find only a few things that are truly needs. One of those needs that everyone shares is the need for food. Regardless of one's opinions, life experiences, religion, political affiliation, and so forth, I think we can all agree that food is a basic necessity and that access to food is a basic human right. 

Wayside is in its 25th year (hey, so am I) and continues to be a vital program for the Greater Portland community. They accomplish their goal of providing access to food for those in need by partnering with "more than 60 agencies throughout Cumberland County, including food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters." A few organizations they partner with in Portland include Hope.Gate.Way, Parkside Neighborhood Center, and Woodford's Congregational Church. 

Check out the Wayside Food Program's website for more information about the organization and for information about donating money, time, or food to help them reach their vision.