Gleaning Partner Spotlight: Eagle's Nest Clubhouse

Maine’s Downeast region faces high rates of poverty and food insecurity. In Washington County, one in four children, and in Hancock County, one in six children, experience food insecurity - they don't have enough food to eat or don't have access to nutritious food for an active, healthy life (Feeding America, 2023).

Healthy Acadia’s Downeast Gleaning Initiative works to combat food insecurity by organizing farm-based gleaning efforts across Hancock and Washington counties. We partner with more than 50 food producers, including local farms, orchards, farmers’ markets, and community gardens, and engage hundreds of local students and volunteers in collecting surplus fruits and vegetables that would otherwise go to waste. This fresh produce is then distributed to food pantries, community meal programs, rehabilitation centers, school backpack programs, and other vital community organizations, ensuring that healthy food reaches those in need.

From 2013 to 2023, the Downeast Gleaning Initiative collected and redistributed over 409,000 pounds of fresh food to more than 30 food security programs and community-serving organizations across Hancock and Washington counties. These dedicated community partners play a vital role in helping our neighbors lead healthier lives. Today, we’re highlighting one of these partners: Eagle’s Nest Clubhouse.

Eagle’s Nest Clubhouse (ENC) is a peer-based mental health recovery program designed to empower its members towards individual and shared goals by developing relations and participation in the operation of the Clubhouse.  These voluntary programs provide opportunities for work, wellness, education, and socialization intended to help people with mental illness recover their lives. The food received by ENC from Healthy Acadia is cooked by and for the Clubhouse community to be shared together as part of the “work ordered day”. There are currently 35 active members and room for more.  

For more information, visit enc-ellsworth.com  or call 207-389-3300.

Learn more about Healthy Acadia’s Downeast Gleaning Initiative here.