A Message From The Executive Director
WE HAVE FOOD. WE NEED MORE.
Spring 2008
Food is fuel... fuel that enables students to learn, workers to be productive, and adults and children to lead healthier and more successful lives. It’s the fuel that helps diminish the use of unemployment insurance, emergency rooms, and other social programs.
And it’s the fuel that leads to less stress and more smiles.
12.5% of the population of Maine is in need of this fuel. That’s about 143,000 people. In the hands of the 655 agencies connected with us, the food that Good Shepherd Food Bank collects and distributes turns into about 1.5 million meals a month. And no matter how you slice it, that’s a lot of meals! Still, we’re only providing food for about 70,000 people. That’s less than half the number of people in need. Additionally, 69,000 children in Maine qualify for school lunch programs. They’ll need food this summer and other vacation times.
We’ve got a great system going here, but we can do so much more. The wheels are turning and new, innovative and sensible solutions are being developed that will take us to the place where all those who need access to food will have it.
The Agencies...
the Soup Kitchens, Food Pantries, Group Homes, etc., are key in this fight against hunger. Therefore, we are expanding our abilities to provide the agencies with the items they need, and our ability to distribute those products. We will place greater effort into aiding agencies with efficiencies, capacities to help others, and methods of selecting produces. And we will seek to work collaboratively with other non-profits outside the food industry that might be of aid to the agencies across the state.
Hunger is a preventable condition in our country; an unacceptable condition.
Obviously, providing food for the hungry is a team effort. Your support is deeply appreciated, not only by those of us at Good Shepherd, but by those in your community who distribute the food and those who receive it.
Please feel free to contact us if we can be of any assistance.
God Bless You,
Rick Small
