Good Shepherd Food-Bank Launches New Initiative
Maine Farm, Dairy and Seafood Initiative emphasizes the importance of local, fresh food for those in need
Auburn, ME – Good Shepherd Food-Bank has started an initiative to distribute Maine grown foods to Maine families who are not able to put enough food on their tables. The Maine Farm, Dairy, and Seafood initiative was established to bring more nutritious, local food to individuals and families suffering from hunger.
In 2009, the JTG Foundation awarded the Food-Bank with a two year grant in the amount of $300,000 to be used to improve the way the Food-Bank acquires and distributes food, and to open new food channels within Maine to help eliminate hunger throughout the state.
As part of this grant, the Food-Bank launched the Maine Farm, Dairy and Seafood Initiative to form partnerships with farmers, dairy operators and fishermen with the goal of providing more fresh and nutritionally balanced food to Maine’s hungry while supporting local producers. The Maine Farm, Dairy and Seafood Initiative seeks to:
- Form wholesale purchasing partnerships with Maine farmers, dairy operators and fishing industries to acquire fresh, locally grown and processed food for Maine’s hungry
- Target purchasing of fresh fruits, vegetables and high protein items such as cheese fish and meat most needed to assure nutritionally balanced food especially for Maine’s hungry children and elderly population.
Currently, the Food-Bank has eleven partners in the Maine Farm, Dairy and Seafood Initiative. They include Bell Farms, Cozy Harbor Seafood, Cultivating Community, Jordan Farms, Mayberry Farm, Nova Seafood, Pineland Farms, Spiller Farm, Turning Wheel Farm, and farmers Sam Hawes and Mark Raven. “Maine ranks ninth in the nation for food insecurity and that is unacceptable,” stated Rick Small, executive director of the Food-Bank.
“The Maine Farm, Dairy and Seafood Initiative is just one example of the Food-Bank working with others to find creative ways to use the resources available here in Maine to meet the needs of those that are hungry and stimulate the economy.”
The Food-Bank currently purchases 16 percent of the food that it provides to its partnering hunger relief organizations. The amount of purchased product has increased more than 700 percent over the past four years. The Food-Bank’s ability to purchase food ensures that partnering hunger relief organizations are able to provide their clients with nutritionally balanced meals.
Good Shepherd Food-Bank provides meals to more than 36,000 individuals each week through a network of more than 600 partner agencies throughout Maine. Partner agencies include soup kitchens, shelters, after school programs, food pantries, day care centers, senior centers, and youth programs.
