Our History

1986 – Five Winthrop churches form the Winthrop Food Bank to provide emergency food support for the residents of Winthrop.  The churches were St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, the Winthrop United Methodist Church, the Winthrop Center Friends, the Winthrop Congregational Church and the East Winthrop Baptist Church.

1986 – Robert A. Strickland named Executive Director.

1987 – Incorporation papers were filed under the name Winthrop Food Bank.  A trailer was purchased with the help of the Winthrop Rotary Club and the Penniman family.  The trailer is placed in the parking lot of the Winthrop Congregational Church and stocked with food and household items.  Volunteers prepared bags inside the trailer considering recipient’s preferences, that were then handed out to families.

1994 – The Winthrop Food Bank moved to 25 High Street (formerly the offices of the Cobbossee Watershed District and Leighton Lumber Company).

1997 – Margaret Marston and Carole Ricker named Executive Directors.

1999 – The name was changed to the Winthrop Food Pantry.

2000 – IRS 501(c)3 status was granted.

2002 – The Winthrop Food Pantry begins serving residents of the Town of Wayne and welcomes the Wayne Community Church as a supporter.

2011 – JoEllen Cottrell named Executive Director.

2021 – The Winthrop Food Pantry moved to its current location at 10 Cross Road, in the Winthrop Office Center