In 2022, the University of Southern Maine Foundation received a gift of $250,000 from Oakhurst Dairy that included $125,000 to support construction of the new McGoldrick Career & Student Success Center on the Portland campus. The remaining $125,000 targeted an issue of rising concern on campuses across the country: the rapid increase in student food insecurity.
Oakhurst, a longtime USM partner and close neighbor to the Portland campus, contributes dairy products to food pantry locations that serve USM’s three campuses in Gorham, Portland, and Lewiston. To honor their generosity, USM named each facility, the Oakhurst Campus Food Pantry, and also recognized the Bennett family, founders of the century-old dairy, with a plaque at the Portland location.
Dr. Sarah E. Holmes ’96, ’02G, ’19G, USM’s Assistant Provost for Student Affairs, said, “We are incredibly grateful that Oakhurst has given such an impactful gift. We know that hunger affects our students’ ability to focus and learn and the need is exploding. This past year, we saw the number of food pantry visits grow by a stunning 331 percent. That included a 150% increase in the pounds of food distributed, and a nearly 530% increase in the number of household and personal items distributed. Oakhurst’s donation of dairy products over the next five years will go a long in ensuring that our students can concentrate on their studies and not on their next meal.”
“Since Oakhurst’s founding in 1921, the company has been committed to the health and wellbeing of our communities, and to doing what’s right,” said Mark Page, Oakhurst General Manager, “We are proud to partner with our neighbors, USM, to help students thrive, whether it is by supporting the campus food pantry program or important community-building projects such as the new Career & Student Success Center.”
Oakhurst’s $125,000 gift to support the McGoldrick Center aligns with the dairy’s own commitment to sustainability. The three-story, approximately 42,000 square foot space is designed to LEED Silver sustainability standards and will overlook a one-acre expanse of green space––formerly a paved parking lot.