![](https://mainecul.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/unload-Gardiner.jpg)
Gardiner FCU’s Stephanie Peppard delivers items to teacher Raye Anne DeSoto, head of the Tiger Food Pantry.
It’s been a busy few months for employees at Gardiner FCU. Their team has been busy collecting food for the Gardiner Tiger Food Pantry and supplies for the local schools.
“Our credit union has been delivering school supplies to area schools for years,” said Kelly Marie, Marketing Specialist for Gardiner Federal Credit Union. “We recognize that buying supplies can be a challenge for many families, and often, the burden of providing supplies falls on the teachers. That’s where our credit union and our members come in to help.”
Gardiner FCU also supports the Tiger Food Pantry, a service housed within Gardiner Area High School. The pantry is run by teacher Raye Anne DeSoto and her student volunteers, and is open to all families within the MSAD 11 school district. The pantry has a zero waste initiative which helps bring fresh products into the pantry from local sources.
“My colleague Stephanie Peppard and I recently toured the pantry and were impressed by their zero waste initiative,” said Kelly. “If food at the pantry goes out-of-date, it is donated to local farms for chicken or pig feed. In return, the farmers send bacon, ham, or eggs to the pantry. Now that’s what I call maximizing resources and why we love lending our support to this pantry.”
The team at Gardiner FCU is always working on fundraisers for the Campaign for Ending Hunger. With the help and generosity of their members, they will continue supporting local organizations in the weeks and months ahead.
![](https://mainecul.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Pittston-1-e1570104506282.jpg)
Stephanie Peppard and Kirby the Kangaroo, the children’s savings mascot, pose with Pittston Elementary student, Harvey James Curtis, grandson of Gardiner FCU Operations Manager Tracie James.