The Convergence Catch

March 20, 2025: Chances to connect, volunteer, learn and advocate for the health of our Maine food and climate systems.

The Maine Gleaning Network

With many changes happening so rapidly in Maine’s food ecosystem, it’s hard to know where to start to stay engaged. One way to stay active is to connect with your community, volunteer, support mutual aid efforts. Maine Gleaning Network groups across the state are gearing up to begin spring harvests, and there are tons of opportunities to support these efforts across many communities. Gleaning is a piece of the puzzle to keep produce available to everyone, engage with your local farms, and be part of a solution through harvest, delivery, or other roles. Find your closest gleaning group here, and see below for a couple specific ways to volunteer. 

The first seedlings of 2025 have germinated, meaning Food AND Medicine’s gardening season has begun! Join them in Brewer to start seedlings for their network of 35 collective gardens this spring. Check out the list of volunteer dates this all spring. Email johnny@foodandmedicine.org for more information.

The Washington County Food Pantry Network is a group working to reduce hunger and improve health in Washington County. The group, originally brought together by the Washington County Food and Fuel Alliance and now led by Healthy Acadia, includes food pantry workers, healthcare professionals, nonprofit representatives, local leaders, and policymakers. Sign up  to get updates on our meetings, new projects, and how you can be a part! Subscribe here.

The Downeast Food Systems Partnership is a new collaboration with GrowSmart ME, Healthy Acadia, and Sunrise County Economic Council that brings together people involved in the food system to: 1) Identify key food system needs for our area; 2) Develop project ideas based on these needs; and 3) Secure funding and support to carry them out. Click here to complete our survey to help identify food system needs in our communities:  Join us for a Kick-Off event on Friday, April 11, 10-2 in Ellsworth.

This gardening season with Waldo County Bounty, you can Grow A Row for the Give & Take program, including free seeds and gardening support. Sign up for free seeds using this form by April 12! Grow a few extra veggies this season and share them at your local Give & Take stand to help more people access fresh fruits and veggies in our community.

Maine Farm and Sea to Institution Network

Join MEFTI at the Northeast Farm to Institution Summit, happening April 7-9, 2025, in Portland, Maine! This year’s theme, Belonging, highlights the need for connection and collaboration as we work toward a just, equitable, and regenerative food system—especially in the face of funding uncertainty, equity challenges, and food system instability.

With inspiring keynotes, hands-on workshops, field trips, and networking opportunities, the Summit brings together 500+ food system leaders—from farmers and fishers to food service operators, supply chain businesses, and policymakers. This is a rare chance to connect with peers, gain new insights, and help shape the future of farm to institution in New England.
Registration is closing soon—sign up today!  www.f2isummit.org

Maine Youth for Climate Justice and Maine Climate Action NOW!

The 2025  Youth Day of Action will be held at the State House on April 17th. This is a day for youth in Maine to mobilize and present our vision and demands for our future. The day will include a rally, press conference, lobbying, learning, and networking. We invite young people from across Maine to join us to raise our voices and demand climate action. You can register for the event here.

Maine Network of Community Food Councils

Last month’s meeting with the Local Foods Project Coordinators was one of our most well attended topic meetings ever! We had a great discussion about how these folks are helping our local K-12 schools get more local foods into their menus by connecting them with farmers, maximizing state programs, training staff and more. If you missed it, don’t worry! You can go to our network resources page here and find a link to the recording.

Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association

We are making tracks with our project to develop ready-to-serve products for Maine’s K-12 students that utilize locally abundant and sustainably harvested seafood. The fish cakes have been a hit across all grade levels from the cakes served as a fish parm sandwich using Maine Marinara sauce, as tiny tots with a variety of dipping sauces for the littlest samplers, and as an eggy souffle as breakfast for lunch for the high school diners. More collaborations are expected in the future as we work on our next products with other local producers. Stay tuned this month for a new soup from Hurricane’s Premium Soups and Chowders to riff off their tasty Maine Coast Monkfish Stew. We look forward to seeing many of you at the FINE conference in April and the Convergence in May!

Full Plates Full Potential hosted a virtual Town Hall yesterday, and shared about the proposed federal cuts to SNAP, school meals, and Medicaid and how that would impact Maine and threaten Healthy School Meals for All. The call to action was for folks to:

• Contact state legislators and tell them how important HSM4A is to you, your school, your community, etc

• Contact Maine's members of Congress and tell them you oppose these cuts

Folks can find talking points and contact info for reps/senators at https://www.fullplates.org/townhall