Wiscasset Feed Our Scholars Backpack Program is most thrilled and thankful by a totally unexpected donation from the Wiscasset branch of The First Bank and its loan department.

It is heartening to see local businesses and groups’ support the effort to feed our hungry kids. When students aren’t nourished properly, that gets in the way of their learning, growing and ability to reach their full potential.

A wonderful delivery of food items and gift certificates appeared at the Wiscasset Primary School for the initiative. The boxes of food were divided among the three schools’ pantries or snack closets. While the high school has had a school pantry for over a year, the middle school, in an effort to better meet the needs of some of that school’s students, has begun its own pantry.

The primary school’s snack supply closet was infused with cereal bars, fruit cups and other healthy supplies for those who forget to bring a snack or those that can’t bring a snack. The middle school’s pantry now has a supply of easily fixed meals, cans of tuna and chicken, jars of peanut butter and jam, boxes of cereal and such. The high school’s pantry received the same. All that food is waiting to energize Wiscasset’s little — and not so little — learners.

The gift certificates, on the other hand, have gone into the group’s certificate supply. Two times per school year, FOS includes $10 gift certificates to Shaw’s for families for a little something extra toward their grocery bill. The First’s certificates await being utilized in the final backpacks of the school year.