Maine’s Credit Unions Prepare for St. Patrick’s Day by Sharing Some ‘Green’ in Memory of Ending Hunger Pioneer

Portland, ME — On Friday, March 16, at The Good Shepherd Food-Bank’s Portland location, in a ceremony called “The Giving of the Green,” Maine’s Credit Unions, through the Maine Credit Unions’ Campaign for Ending Hunger, made its largest, one-time donation ever to the Good Shepherd Food-Bank in the amount of $22,000, which represents the 22 years that Maine’s Credit Unions have raised funds for ending hunger. The donation was given in memory of JoAnn Pike, the Founder of the Good Shepherd Food-Bank.

Pike began the Good Shepherd over 30 years ago and served as its Executive Director until February of 2004.  Eight years ago this month, JoAnn passed away of cancer.  Two days after Pike passed away, Maine credit unions were the first to make a significant contribution in her memory.  Every year since, Maine’s credit unions have made a donation in her memory to mark the anniversary of her death and to remember the long-time hunger pioneer. 

Maine’s Credit Unions recently announced that in 2011, the 22nd year of the Campaign, a new record of $446,929.56 was raised, an increase of nearly $45,000 over last year’s record.  Since 1990, the Maine Credit Unions’ Campaign for Ending Hunger has raised $4.3 million to help end hunger in Maine.

Formed in 1938, the Maine Credit Union League is the State Trade Association for Maine’s 63 credit unions providing a variety of services and products to assist credit unions in meeting the needs of their membership.  For more information, please visit www.mainecul.org.  

John LeMieux from Good Shepherd Food Bank’s board of directors
and Jon Paradise of the Maine Credit Union League.