Douglas COA Food Pantry Serves 80 Residents, Tightens Hours Amid Surging Demand

DOUGLAS — February 11, 2026 — Douglas Council on Aging food pantry surges to 80 users as $7,000 donation and tighter hours reshape operations. The Council on Aging board met February 11 and heard director Patrice report that the senior center's informal food pantry — open to any Douglas resident regardless of age — had served 80 people since opening, including 38 in January alone, growing from roughly 20 users in its first month. A New Year's Eve donation of $7,000 from Lifesong Church and a Select Board-approved reallocation of $1,100 in leftover COVID community outreach funds are bankrolling weekly Hannaford runs that now require two full shopping carts; Hannaford is providing a 5 percent discount on full orders. Citing cases of patrons taking more than their share under the previous open-access model, the director announced a shift to supervised hours of 9 to 11 a.m. Monday through Friday, with appointments available. The center's 2025 annual statistics — 134 new seniors, 7,960 visits, 2,572 rides, and 2,513 phone calls — will appear in the March-April newsletter; the director is scheduled to present the FY2027 budget to the Finance Committee on or around March 10, with van-driver hours proposed to increase from 25 to 30 per week.