What's different about that? He believes in People helping People, "'that's People with a capital "P,'" Reardon says. S.A.V.E. is also known as the Social Advancement of Virtues Endowment, a Maine State non-profit 501 (c) (3) focused on ending hunger in Maine. They are a full partnering agency with Feed the Children, Operation Blessing and Good Shepherd.

Housed in the old Grange Hall in in Dover-Foxcroft, Reardon founded the S.A.V.E. Virtues Food Pantry about a year ago and they are currently serving about 130 People at that site with "mobile pantries" working out of it.

Reardon founded the S.A.V.E. Virtues Food Pantry in Dover-Foxcroft about a year ago and they are currently serving about 130 People at that site with "mobile pantries" working out of it.

"This winter, people will choose between food and fuel," he says. "We are already seeing a slow-down in (donated) food supply coming into Maine.

"As long as people come, we'll continue to feed them," he says. "The need is there and it is necessary to assist and stabilize People affected by hunger."

Reardon lived and worked in San Diego for 22 years where he was instrumental in helping people realize their own abilities through training made possible by various grants and non-profits. He developed a program that was voted the Best Economic Development Program in California in 1992. Reardon's thrust is to do the same in Maine. Using that as a model, a national John Adams Business Institute was founded.

"It gives us National strength with local relevance," Reardon says.

"Our first priority is to distribute food to the hungry," he adds. By itself, Reardon says that feeding People merely "institutionalizes hunger." We want to believe that People who are on the food line want to be off the food line," he explains.

Through training and teaching People to start their own businesses, whether it be chopping wood or driving a truck, Reardon believes that's possible.

The Pantry solicits donations directly from corporations, mostly from out-of-state.

"We're bringing 24 pallets or 24,000 pounds of food into the state each year," Reardon says.

Unfortunately, there's a transportation problem.

"The terminus for trucks is Portland. We have no way of getting the food up here." Sometimes a trucker who might live up north and is coming back empty, might pick up a load and drop it off at the Pantry. The S.A.V.E. Virtues non-profit wants to buy a regional box truck, 16 feet to 26 feet long, to be able to get to Portland and pick up the food. "We're really hurting for transportation," Reardon says.

Once the food is at the food pantry, local volunteers pick it up in their own vehicles, or borrow Reardon's pick-up truck and bring it back to their own communities, dispersing it from the backs of their own vehicles.

"If they pick it up at 7 a.m., they're back in Guilford or Atkinson, delivering food by 9 a.m.," Reardon says. "You have Al Hunt and his wife Laurel, in Guilford, Rhonda in Atkinson or Jim Moody in Greenville. They are the People.

"All three of these people came to me," Reardon says. "There's no recruiting. They are virtually mobile pantries."

Reardon says they are not in competition with other local pantries. Some pantries share food and work together which is the goal. Then they will educate the People in skills appropriate for their economic gain.

Reardon has plans to develop a "Nutrition Kitchen" to further the goal of educating people. It will be run out of the same building as the Pantry. He purchased the building and pays the overhead out of his own pocket. In the back of the room is a grand old stage, complete with stage lights.

"I want to create this space into a state-of-the art kitchen," Reardon says. "There will be video cameras all around and television monitors, and well-known chefs teaching the people how to cook healthier."

Reardon shows off his brand-new, industrial stove that was donated. It will eventually find its place on the stage -- with the People."This content originally appeared as a copyrighted article in the SVWeekly.com and is used here with permission."