This is what we union thugs do for the hungry

Today in Maine

We drive our truck through the entire state of Maine to collect food for them.

The fourth annual food drive organized by Teamsters Local 340 Women’s Committee in Maine is well underway – and the response has been incredible.

This morning the Joint Council 10 tractor-trailer rolled out of Kittery for its two-day trek across the state, stopping along the way to pick up nonperishable food donations from Teamsters.

Business agent Traci Place said this morning that the truck was already three quarters full and was not even halfway through its route.

As the Bangor Daily News reports,

On Saturday, the tractor-trailer will head to Fort Fairfield, where the truck will be in the [Potato Blossom Festival ] parade. Teamsters members and representatives from Catholic Charities of Maine will be collecting canned goods and donations along the parade route.

Through the “Feed the County” program, Catholic Charities maintains its own food bank and supplies goods to 25 food pantries in Aroostook County from Wytopitlock to St. Francis and Fort Fairfield to Ashland.

But Place says it looks like this year’s drive might exceed the amount donated last year. She wrote on Facebook:

If you’re on I-95 today be on the lookout for the Joint Council 10 truck. It’s making its way through Maine, collecting food to benefit Feed the County. Last year Teamsters collected 30,000 pounds of food and $16,000 in monetary donations

Tomorrow, the truck will end its route at the Potato Blossom Festival in Presque Isle where it will be part of the parade. All food and monetary donations will be delivered to Catholic Charities after the parade.

Place said she is stunned by the generous response from Teamsters so far:

The response from out membership has been overwhelming. When we open those truck doors at the end of the route, it just reduces me to tears every year. This is what being a Teamster is all about.

Follow their progress here.

-- Union Thug