Community Health & Hunger
Eliminating hunger with healthcare
In partnership with healthcare organizations across Maine, the Community Health and Hunger Program helps clinicians identify food-insecure patients and connects them with the nutritious food they need to live healthy lives.
Through the Community Health and Hunger Program, Good Shepherd Food Bank offers technical training for medical staff on how to screen for food insecurity, resources about where to find food in their service area for patients who are food-insecure, and nutritious grocery items for patients in immediate need to take home from the clinical visit at no cost.

Our impact in healthcare
140K
At risk for hunger
One in seven Mainers lack regular access to enough nutritious food to live a healthy life.
67%
Choose affordability
Food insecure families report purchasing more affordable but less nutritious food just to have enough.
160
Partner agencies
We have partnered with over 160 healthcare partners across the state to make meals more accessible.
10K
Mainers
Connected with nutritious and culturally relevant food through their healthcare provider.
625K
Meals
Provided to Mainers facing food insecurity.
Use the map to locate the Good Shepherd Food Bank-supported Healthcare Partner closest to you.
The impact of this program

“ We are very grateful to be able to participate in the program and feel it is very beneficial to our patients. ”
“ I’ve seen some elderly patients come in for other appointments that utilize the produce bags. I don’t know how they would have gotten food otherwise as they don’t have the transportation. ”
“ Very happy with our partnership with the Food Bank. We have received lots of support in the past that has benefited our community a great deal! ”
“ This project is wonderful. I was unaware of it until my doctor’s visit, and I was so thankful when they told me about it. I was thinking that whole day about what I was going to do for a meal that night, so it answered my prayers. ”
Healthcare Partnership Resources
Join us in our Community Health & Hunger efforts.
The Community Health & Hunger Team
Meet the team that supports our Community Health & Hunger programs.

Laura Vinal
Senior Manager of Community Initiatives
Laura Vinal, Network Engagement & Training Manager, leads the development and coordination of network-wide trainings and resources for partners and our Community Partnerships team. From Town Halls and on-demand trainings to newsletters and survey analytics, Laura ensures our partners, and the team that supports them, are equipped with the tools and information they need to build capacity and stay aligned with our strategic goals.
Laura holds a B.S. in Middle/Secondary Education from the University of Maine Farmington. Before joining Good Shepherd Food Bank, she served in Peace Corps Ukraine, teaching K-12 English and leading curriculum development workshops at local universities.
She lives in Bowdoinham, Maine, with her husband and daughter and, in her free time, enjoys being outside, spending time with family and friends, and traveling when she can.

Martha Lefebvre
Community Connections Specialist
As a Community Connections Specialist (CCS), Martha works with partners located in Sagadahoc & Lincoln Counties and The Greater Portland Region. She holds a master’s degree in Policy, Planning, and Management and a certificate in Food Studies from the University of Maine’s Muskie School. She recently earned her Project Management Professional (PMP) certification. Martha is committed to closing the meal gap and promoting equity in food systems. She believes that everyone deserves a seat at the table and that fair, equitable food access is essential to thriving communities. Outside of work, she’s happiest when she’s out in nature, birding and learning about wildlife, or relaxing at home with her partner and their two cats and dog – who run the house.