Food-Bank's Gift Seeds Hope for Bangor Residents

To better serve increasing need for Bangor families who struggle to put food on their tables, GSFB recently presented an upright freezer to the Seeds of Hope Food Pantry.

The event was celebrated on Valentine's day at Good Shepherd Food-Bank's Brewer facility. Isaac Mann, Director of the Ohio Street, Bangor pantry received the gift and said the freezer's capacity to hold 600 pounds of food will will enable Seeds of Hope Food Pantry to store & distribute meats & other frozen product that until now, was not an option for the pantry.

Mann said "Community needs continue to be on the rise and people are making the choice to heat or eat right now. We're distributing between 1,500 and 2,000 pounds of food each week and we continue to see new faces seeking our help. We're thrilled to be able to provide meats and protein items that will make a significant difference to so many families in our community."

Good Shepherd Food-Bank's work is carried out in local communities by the dedicated services of partner agencies. Our Brewer facility began its operation in 1999 and now provides food to more than 130 agencies in the North East part of Maine. In 2007, over one million meals were provided to agencies in the greater Bangor region through soup kitchens, group and foster homes, homeless and abuse shelters, and many programs for children and the elderly.

To learn more of Good Shepherd Food-Bank's service in your community, please visit www.gsfb.org Pictured, from Left: GSFB's Brewer Warehouse Manager, Dan Holmes, Isaac Mann , Director, Seeds of Hope Food Pantry, and Michel Kreder, GSFB Marketing Manager.

GOOD NEWS: YOUR DOLLARS AT WORK!

In memory of JoAnn Pike, and thanks to generous financial and food donors who have made this possible, GSFB has been able to provide MORE food to meet increasing needs, and have saved our 600+ agencies over $91,000 dollars! These dollar savings will impact communities in a variety of ways and enable our agencies to provide more services. That means reaching more families, more kids, and more elderly and shut-ins that are relying on our help through this harsh winter.

Food Donor Spotlight: LaBree's Bakery

LaBree's Bakery makes generous donations to Good Shepherd Food-Bank.

LaBree's Bakery is a family owned business, established in 1948 with humble beginnings. Today, LaBree's Bakery has become one of French Island's and Old Town's most successful businesses, employing over 200 people and distributing products throughout the continental US, Hawaii, and Canada. They produce and donate some of the most delicious, top quality, home-style baked goods.

Thank you LaBree's Bakery, for your generous donations to Good Shepherd Food-Bank. You are bringing smiles and special treats to the tables of so many who would otherwise go without. You're an appreciated partner of GSFB and to the thousands we serve.

Pictured: Mr & Mrs Bernie LaBree, Owners, are awarded a special "Sweet Treats VIP Award" presented by GSFB Executive Director, Rick Small.

PARTNERSHIP MATTERS

Bank of America Logo

Bank of America recently presented $15,000 to GSFB for the 2008 Agency Matching Challenge. The challenge grant is strategically timed to help agencies raise money during a time of year in which donations are typically at their lowest.

The 2:1 Matching Challenge Grant requires GSFB and member agencies to meet fundraising goals between January 1st and April 30th. At the close of the fundraising period, agencies send in a check and proof of receipts for the money they raised toward the challenge. This money is kept in an agency's food account at the Food-Bank. The money received from the challenge grant is then divided among the participating agencies and added to their accounts.

GSFB Helps Member Agency
to Receive LL Bean Book Packs

Les Stanwood, Backpack Coordinator for The Maine Sea Coast Mission's "EdGE" program, is committed to helping meet the huge challenge of providing meals to underprivileged children, especially those going home to empty cupboards during the school year.

The goal of EdGE is to improve academic performance, increase confidence, and build character among the youth they serve year round. One part of the EdGE program is a discreetly organized "Back-Pack Program" which allows a child to bring home a pack filled with food, supplied by Good Shepherd Food-Bank and the Maine Sea Coast Mission. Each Friday, during school months, more than 150 children are given these backpacks filled with kid-friendly foods.

After learning about the Back-Pack Program through Good Shepherd Food-Bank this past summer, LL Bean's Public Affairs (manager?) Marlene Hensley, coordinated a donation of slighted used rolling and regular book packs to support this essential children's feeding program. The Edge Program commented that "they are thrilled by the great news of this donation. The rolling packs will be especially helpful to the younger kids who find the backpacks heavy when filled with canned goods, juices, and supplies.

Planting Seeds of Hope in Bangor

Your Dollars At Work

Food Donor Spotlight

Partnership Matters

Quick Links

February 3rd through
March 1st - Hannaford Supermarkets will hold their 5th annual "Have A Heart For Hunger" Campaign.

The register program gives associates and customers an option of choosing a $2 or $5 donation coupon at the register.

One hundred percent of donations raised are used to help local food banks in their service areas.

Last year, Hannaford customers raised more than $13,000 to benefit Good Shepherd Food-Bank.

Hannaford Supermarket's have a long standing commitment to fight hunger through the support of this program and through food donations that exceed eight million pounds each year!

What if Good Shepherd Food-Bank had a penny for every time you searched the Internet...
Now we can!

Just go to: www.goodsearch.com and be sure to enter Good Shepherd Food Bank as the charity you want to support.

500 people searching four times a day will raise about $7300 in a year without anyone spending a dime!