The Convergence Catch

June: Investing in SNAP, Request for Session Proposals, and Celebrating Juneteenth

Jun 19, 2025

The Maine Gleaning Network

The Importance of SNAP benefits: Gleaning groups across the state help to increase the amount of fresh produce that is available to food access sites and community gathering places. Many of the sites that we bring donated gleaned food to help to support low-income families in accessing nourishing foods, but pantries and emergency food providers often work in tandem with SNAP benefits to help increase food security. Learn more about SNAP benefits and their role in your community here. SNAP works for Maine! This proven public health intervention lifts households out of poverty, supports a thriving local economy, and helps families purchase nutritious grocery options. Read more about it here and see if you are eligible here!

SNAP-Ed in Your Community: Many gleaning orgs work with local SNAP-Ed staff, if you are a teacher, a parent, a student, a community member who has participated in or benefitted from a SNAP-Ed class or community work we want to hear from you! Efforts to communicate the importance of SNAP and SNAP-Ed to Maine legislators is ongoing and your stories will help. Please consider sharing how SNAP-Ed helps our community in this brief survey. THANK YOU!

Association of Gleaning Organizations (AGO) has received a grant to study on-farm food loss and backyard food waste. The Association of Gleaning Organizations received a grant from USDA’s SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education) program to measure on-farm food loss and backyard food waste. This includes $500k to distribute to partner organizations and farm study sites for participating in the measurement study. A number of gleaning organizations in Maine will be participating!

Downeast Gleaning Initiative (Healthy Acadia) is looking for volunteers for the Blue Hill Farmers’ Market. Email eleanor.jones@healthyacadia.org to learn more and engage with your community at the market.

Volunteer Anywhere in the State! As always, and especially this time of year, gleaning groups are looking for volunteers! Find your local group here and get in touch to sign up! Need some inspiration? Check out this 2024 highlights video from Waldo County Bounty to see what we’re up to and what impact you can have!

Maine Farm and Sea to Institution Network

The 2025 Maine Farm & Sea to Institution Summit is Back!

The Maine Farm & Sea to Institution Network (MEFTI) will host its statewide Summit on October 14, 2025 at Colby College in Waterville. This daylong event brings together farmers, food producers, institutional buyers, food service professionals, educators, and advocates dedicated to cultivating the power of institutions to generate meaningful change in the Maine food system. The Summit will feature hands-on workshops, presentations, a local food show, and networking opportunities designed to inspire collaboration and strengthen impact across the state.

Request for Proposals Now Open

MEFTI is now accepting session proposals to help shape the 2025 Summit. Submissions will be accepted on a rolling basis through July 15, 2025.

Learn more about the MEFTI Summit, session guidelines, and how to submit a proposal

Maine Youth for Climate Justice and Maine Climate Action NOW!

June saw Maine Youth for Climate Justice (MYCJ) wrapping up the legislative session and continuing to push forward legislative priorities. While LD 1138, a priority public transit bill, unfortunately died in nonconcurrence, MYCJ remains committed to advancing other key initiatives, including legislation around Green Schools, Tribal Sovereignty, and Energy Fairness.

When a priority bill doesn’t make it through, it's always disappointing—but it also reinforces the importance of organizing. Setbacks like this remind us why we do this work and motivate us to return to the next session even stronger.

MYCJ also hosted a June Teach-In for Youth called Queer Earth: Exploring the Intersections of Queerness & Climate Justice. You can check out the discussion on the Teach-In Archive on the MYCJ website.

Maine Youth for Climate Justice’s summer will include educational programming, and an informal youth activist BBQ with Maine Youth Power. The best way to stay up to date with MYCJ is to follow their social media channels (@maineyouthforclimate) and subscribe to their newsletter!

Maine Network of Community Food Councils

The Maine Network of Community Food Councils is busy completing their “shared gifting” process for the 2025-26 fiscal year. Utilizing an open, transparent and democratic funds sharing system that ensures that the collective budget is divvied up in a thoughtful and equitable way. If you want to learn more about the process, email Darcy Cooke at mainefoodcouncils@gmail.com.

In other news, MGN’s Summer e-newsletter is coming out in the beginning of July! Each issue features a deep dive on a specific food systems related theme, food council updates and inspiring art and quotes to help keep us all motivated. If you’re not already on the enewsletter list, you can sign up here.

Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association

MCFA had a great time at the 2025 Maine Food Convergence Event where Hurricane Soup and Chowder’s newest Sweet Potato Pollock soup was sampled in the FoodCorps session’s taste testing demo. And, amazing Chef Mike Flynn (RSU12) orchestrated a local school lunch showcase that included the Monkfish Stew, served by Hurricane’s own Joe Shovelin, along with Maine Flounder Fish Cakes.

MCFA’s Susan Olcott also had the opportunity to provide Fish Cake samples at the UMass Amherst Chef Culinary Conference for university food service staff. The first taste-tester of the day was none other than Alice Waters, renowned chef and founder of the Edible Schoolyard project. Other recent foodie events include MCFA Board Member, cookbook author, and National Geographic culinary fellow doing a “Celebrity Chef” day at the Morse Street Elementary in Freeport featuring pretzel crusted flounder.

The historical legacy of Juneteenth shows the value of never giving up hope in uncertain times. On June 19, 1865, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, news of freedom finally reached enslaved people in Texas. As we celebrate this day, may it also ground us in reflection and a commitment to action to listen deeply, confront systemic racism, and work toward equity in our communities and beyond.

Learn more about Juneteenth:

Find a Juneteenth Celebration near you: