Food Pantry Friend Gives Back to the Community

Elias Antonio arrived in Portland several years ago with his family from Angola. He would come by the Food Pantry and help translate for his family and others.

Elias is now a student at Southern Maine Community College and works part-time at the Boys and Girls Club of Southern Maine which recently started a program for asylum-seeking children. He translates (Portuguese and Lingala), helps the younger new Mainers with English lessons, and is a favorite teammate in their pick-up soccer games.

“I was once in their shoes too, so looking at them is like looking at myself four or five years ago.”