Annual Reports
Words From AIO’s Executive Director
“During the past year, most of our metrics are up more than 50% vs last year.”
AIO staff (left to right): Rob Holloway, Ariel Valdes, Alan Kearl, Jacob Reynolds, Tansy Myster, Laura McGrath
When I started my role, nearly two years ago, Feeding America estimated that 12.3% of Knox County experienced food insecurity. During the past year, most of our metrics are up more than 50% vs last year. As a result, we have surpassed the old Feeding America statistic. But it doesn't mean our job is over. Instead the "goal post" has moved because of a reduction in traditional support programs like SNAP and Maine Care, and the increasing cost of core household needs like energy, food, and housing. More people than ever must now face the question of food vs warmth, or food vs health, or food vs on-time bill payment. Whether you’re a member, a donor, a volunteer, a food supplier, a member of government, an adjacent social service provider, or a curious neighbor, thank you for being part of the AIO ecosystem and helping as we offer a reliable, safe place, a “port in the storm” of uncertainty. You help us take away the angst of making hard decisions. This is an accounting of our efforts and I welcome your feedback and questions. Please feel free to stop by for a tour.
—Alan Kearl, Winter 2026
Highlights Of The Year 2024/25
During the past year, we have added and expanded several programs in order to reduce barriers and help people where they are:
8 up to 24 Hours the Market is open each week
3 up to 13 Satellite Shelf unit locations
1 to 2 Islands we provide food for
19 to 25 Schools receiving Weekend Meals
0 to 8 Libraries participating in summer Weekend Meals
0 to 120 Homes receiving fresh, healthy food delivered to their home
2 to 4 Number of quarters a member can now receive Energy Assistance
Additional AIO Activities
Both AIO buildings are now in near constant use six days/week
Hosted a forum with an expert panel on Food Insecurity and debuted a new film about AIO
Launched two annual fundraisers:
1) Pies on Parade and
2) A summer Fill The Strand event
Who Do We Serve?
Although no one is ever turned away, we serve Knox County.
Here is the membership by community:
By Location
By Age
During the past year, we have added and expanded several programs in order to reduce barriers and help people where they are:
How Are We Doing?
MARKET
2,082 unduplicated households served
4,871 people in those households
24,122 household visits (+65% vs a year ago)
57,680 household members served (70% vs a year ago)
SATELLITE FOOD DISTRIBUTION
68,000 pounds of food to about 12,500 people through 13 satellite locations operated by Maine Health, Penobscot Bay YMCA, Knox Clinic, Island Medical Clinic of Vinalhaven, Camden Public Library and several churches
9,600 pounds of food to about 432 people through the USDA Commodity Supplemental Food Program
HOME DELIVERY
Serving the most vulnerable in the community—those who can’t get regular healthy, fresh food.
An average of 120 households/week
166 unique households served for the seven months since the program started
WEEKEND MEALS
About 19% of school children served
Meals distributed through 25 Knox County public and non-profit private schools
575 elementary students are provided 4 meals/week
300 middle and high schoolers received self-selected snacks and food staples each week
115 elementary school children received daily after school snacks
120 children served weekend meals for 10 weeks during summer break through eight libraries
DIAPERS
266 unique households made 1,844 diaper pick ups totaling 55,320 diapers
ENERGY ASSISTANCE
891 payments totaling $239,000 to Electric and Fuel Oil providers to support over 500 unduplicated families
3,745 people through the course of the year.
With 60–70% of the US population estimated to be living paycheck-to-paycheck, it’s not surprising that AIO serves a wide range of ages. With 72% of the members under the age of 60, AIO serves many who are working (and their dependents), reinforcing that the cost of life is out of balance with wages earned.
Fall Harvest—Rob Holloway and volunteers receiving 2,500 lbs of potatoes from the Odd Fellows Club
Volunteers collect donations for Fill the Strand
AIO volunteer and shoppers in the market
We have an amazing community that supports AIO. For many, food insecurity is not theoretical, it is real. Many in the community have experienced the need, know someone who has or is in need, or may know it could be themselves sometime in the future.
How Do We Accomplish What We Do?
FOOD
1,017,474 pounds of food distributed
55% purchased, 45% donated
Sourced from 215 individuals, businesses and organizations
2,417 individual drop-offs and receipts
VOLUNTEERS
309 individuals spend 28,897 hours
Carry out 10 primary functions
About 9% of volunteers are also members
DONORS
(Financial and In-kind)
1,450 individuals
139 businesses
churches (20) and towns (5)
12 civic organizations and clubs
GRANTS
16 organizations and foundations
granted $227,500
We could not have accomplished all of this without a community of people who see the need, understand what to do, have the means to help, and the motivation to make a difference. Whether as a monetary gift, a volunteer shift, a new idea, the drop-off of a food donation, it all makes a difference. Thank you.
Looking Ahead to 2025/26
Weekend Meals volunteers
Now four months into our new fiscal year, we have already seen the impact of an on-again, off-again messaging about SNAP benefits, increased premiums for Maine Care, a severe and prolonged winter stressing people trying to stay warm, and stepped-up ICE activity in our area. The impact of higher prices is still with us in the community. Many are facing new realities and attempting to navigate household finances. We don’t see any let up and expect continued requests for help. We’ve already made as many Energy gifts in the first four months of 2025/26 as in all of 2024/25. We added our first new staff positions, both part time, one is a Warehouse/Market assistant and the other a Home Delivery/Weekend Meals assistant, to help with the growth. Just this past week, our market and home delivery programs, which have been averaging about 650 households/week, surged to 719 households served. We only seek out and celebrate this growth to the degree the need exists and we can satisfy it. We are glad to be recognized as a safe place that people are comfortable coming to when they experience the need.
Please stop by, we would love to host you for a tour and discuss the special role AIO plays here in our community.
AIO BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Executive Committee
Ted Long, Chair
Candace Vancko, Vice Chair
Susan Whalen, Treasurer
Rich Norman, Recording Secretary
Directors
Nina Durgin
Rachel Houlihan
Linda Mann
Jake Miller
Jim Pacheco
Heather Reynolds
Vera Roberts
Joe Ryan
David Statman
Molly Walpuck
Our Team
AIO STAFF
Alan Kearl
Executive Director
Rob Holloway
Market & Warehouse Director
Jacob Reynolds
Market & Warehouse Assistant Manager
Laura McGrath
Program Director
Tansy Myster
Assistant Program Manager
Ariel Valdez
Administrative Director