Giant Fruits, Big Goal: The 15th Annual Hancock County Food Drive Aims for 120,000 Meals.
Apr 03, 2026
HANCOCK COUNTY—If you see some human-sized grapes or snap peas while out shopping Saturday, April 4, do not worry that you’re hallucinating.
Hoping to help continue providing food for those who need it, the 15th Annual Hancock County Food Drive kicks off Saturday, April 4. Part of that event involves costumes of the fruit and vegetable kind.
“Picture this: you are walking through the parking lot at your local grocery store this Saturday. As you approach the door, you see a green blur out of the corner of your eye. You turn to see what that human sized blur could possibly be. It’s an adult (someone in your community you probably know) dancing around a table fully dressed as a snap pea, smiling, asking people if they want to contribute to the 15th Annual Hancock County Food Drive and address hunger in your community. How can you say no?” explained Hancock County Food Drive Food Programs Manager, Eleanor Jones.
There will be life-sized snap peas, carrots, blueberries, strawberries, a potato, and lots of colorful tutus.
The event is county wide and meant to collect food and raise funds to buy food.
“Food Drive volunteers, dressed in fruit and vegetable costumes, stationed outside grocery stores and businesses across the county to raise funds, collect food donations, and rally excitement for the Food Drive, which runs April 4 – 11, 2026,” according to Healthy Acadia.
The need, according to Jones , is great.
”One in 5 kids in Hancock County are considered food insecure. 13% of individuals in our county are food insecure—that is around 7,300 households. Those are our neighbors, hungry,” Jones said. “We are working to raise $40,000 this year, which equals 120,000 meals for our community. What an impact we can have!”
The food drive supports the Hancock County Food Security Network. The network supplies local food pantries, school backpack programs, and free meal sites on Mount Desert Island and across Hancock County.
The Maine Center for Economic Policy reports that 1 in 10 Maine households are food insecure, which means that they do not have, according to the United States Department of Agriculture, “consistent, dependable access to enough food for active healthy living.”
The costumes help. Back in 2023, one woman headed into the Bar Harbor Hannaford with her head down, focused and frowning, but when she looked up and saw Rob Benson, all that changed.
She smiled. “Why hello, Mr. Carrot.”
“Hello!” Benson beamed in his carrot suit.
Nearby, Bar Harbor Police Officer Elias Burne greeted everyone he could, enthusiastically pointed them to a table manned by others.
“I have the privilege of working with the volunteers, staff, and board members of the food security organizations in our community. They work tirelessly (often unpaid) to feed and support our neighbors every day. In talking with one earlier this week, they have over 600 households signed up at their pantry, and they have around 300 households shopping every week. I think about this and the need in our community,” Jones said.
The impact of the food drive is huge, which is why Heart of Maine United Way, the Maine Community Foundation are joining together to raise $40,000.
That money covers 120,000 meals at pantries throughout Mount Desert Island.
It will help organizations like the Open Table MDI, the MDI Backpack Program, and the Bar Harbor Food Pantry, which are also participating in the event.
“A bitter statistic is that Maine leads New England in food insecurity, and we have plenty of it here in Hancock County. If you can’t stand the thought of kids going hungry, or of people having to choose between groceries or heat, you can donate to this food drive and know that every cent goes toward helping your neighbors,” said D Laninga, lead chef and community coordinator at Open Table MDI.
“For a few of the smaller participating organizations, the food drive funds are a significant part of their budget. Their capacity would look different without the support. The food drive is also a really collaborative effort for the Hancock County Food Security Network, so it is a great opportunity to connect as food access organizations. The food drive furthers those partnerships,” Jones said.
Also on April 4, the Blue Hill Public Library will host its “Spring Tea Party & Storytime” at 10:30 a.m. There will be tea, healthy snacks, food-themed tales and attendees can donate non-perishable food items for the Food Drive.
“On April 11, food drive volunteers will be at select grocery stores and businesses for a final Close the Gap event, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., to ensure they reach their $40,000 fundraising goal,” Healthy Acadia said in a press release.
WAYS TO HELP
To help locally, Open Table will be at A&B Naturals from 9 – 5, Saturday, April 4 for the 15th Annual Hancock County Food Drive. The Bar Harbor Food Pantry will be at the Bar Harbor Hannaford on Saturday, April 4, from 1:30 -4:15. To volunteer with them, you can head to barharborfoodpantry.org or at its sign up here.
Community members can support the Food Drive through online donations at www.hcfooddrive.org, and by donating food at one of the sites listed online.
For more information about these events and how to contribute to the Annual Hancock County Food Drive, visit www.hcfooddrive.org, or contact Eleanor Jones, Healthy Acadia’s Food Programs Manager in Hancock County, at eleanor.jones@healthyacadia.org.
You can also learn more via Healthy Acadia.
The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Acadia Brochures of Maine.
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