February 2024

As the calendar flips to February we’re reaching out to our most enthusiastic and passionate Furry Friends Food Bank (FFFB) supporters to invite you to celebrate National Love Your Pet Day with us! We are kicking off our annual Paws for a Cause campaign in hopes of reaching our $13,000 goal by February 24th - Love Your Pet Day.

Much of what FFFB is has to do with love. At its heart, FFFB is about preserving the loving connection between a pet and their owner, volunteers giving their time and energy because they love animals and our mission, and committed donors who show love with financial support. We spoke with one of our long-time volunteers Robin to get her view of the program and here is an excerpt:

“Receiving a donation from you is so crucial for us. We rely solely on donations and grants and receive no federal or state aid. I can say confidently that if FFFB wasn’t around, many people or pets would be forced to go without food, or some would even have to give up their pets completely. Not only would giving up a pet be heartbreaking for them but it may severely impact their physical and mental well-being.”

Be sure to check out the full profile hereor click belowto donate.

Volunteer Highlights

Funeral & Cremation Preplanning Workshop

Join us February 28, 2024 at 10am for a presentation by Bookings-Smith. As we all age it is a wise choice to plan many aspects of your life and end-of-life. The Funeral & Cremation Preplanning Workshop will review the benefits of having your final wishes in a plan with a funeral home. It can be of great benefit emotionally to let your survivors know that you have preplanned your funeral service and that things are in order. Establishing a funeral plan in advance is like a gift to your loved ones as they will not have to guess your choice when the time comes. Walk-ins are welcome, but we ask that you sign up in advance by calling the Durgin Center (207) 941-2865 so we know how many people to expect.

Books Matter

To learn more or to register for Books Matters and other programs at the Durgin Center call 941-2865 and ask for the Durgin Center to sign up.

Durgin Center Community Café

Monday - Thursday at 11:30AM

Friday at 9:30AM

274 State Street, Brewer

Call (207) 941-2865 to reserve.

Click here to view café menu

Medicare Information

Eastern Area Agency on Aging offers free educational classes to inform you about Medicare and the important choices you have. Click here to learn when and where these classes are offered!

Dear Marci,

I recently enrolled in Original Medicare. I know that with Original Medicare, I can see most any provider. Will my costs be the same regardless of which provider I see? Or is there anything else I should consider to get the best costs for my care?

-Iris (Huntington, NY)

Read Marci's answer!

NUTRITION NEWS

What to do if Your Pet Goes Missing

Furry Friends Food Bank

Brought to you by grant funding from the Maine Community Foundation



When your pet goes missing, you want nothing more than to find them safely. Click read more to learn about what to do when your furry friend goes missing.

Food Safety During Power Outages

Commodity Supplemental Food Program

With multiple widespread power outages in the past few months, it’s important to remind ourselves of the recommended food safety steps to take before and after we lose power. Click read more to learn about how to keep food safe during power outages.

Office Closure

Eastern Area Agency on Aging and the Durgin Center will be closed February 19th for Presidents' Day. Additionally, we will be closing at 12:30pm February 22nd for a staff training.

NEWS FROM OUR COMMUNITY

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

1.   mail:

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights

1400 Independence Avenue, SW

Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or

2.   fax:

(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or

3.   email:

Program.Intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.