Good Shepherd Food Bank Announces $100,000 Grant from John T. Gorman Foundation for Winter Hunger Relief
Funds will support the Food Bank’s local foods purchasing program
Auburn, ME – Good Shepherd Food Bank today announced a $100,000 grant from the John T. Gorman Foundation to support the organization’s work of distributing fresh, nutritious foods to Maine families facing hunger this winter. The funds will primarily be used to purchase food from local producers through the Food Bank’s Mainers Feeding Mainers program.
“Winter is an extremely difficult time for Maine families who are struggling to access food,” said Kristen Miale, president of Good Shepherd Food Bank. “Many find themselves having to choose – do I pay for heating oil this month, or do I buy food? And many families are sacrificing nutritious food and instead purchasing inexpensive, unhealthy items, which ends up having a serious impact on their health.”
The majority of the grant funding will be used to purchase nutritious foods, such as fresh or lightly processed fruits and vegetables, cheese and other dairy products, frozen fish and meats, during the remaining winter months. These healthy items can be difficult for the Food Bank to acquire through its traditional food donors. Making bulk purchases ensures that the organization’s partner food pantries and meal sites will have ongoing access to nutritious items.
A portion of the funds from this grant award will go toward improving infrastructure capabilities to safely, efficiently and effectively meet the challenges of this and future winters. The Food Bank will add a temperature and humidity controlled storage space onto its Auburn warehouse facility to store root vegetables throughout the winter months. In addition, they will increase deliveries to both rural and urban communities throughout the state and offer refrigeration grants to partner food pantries that do not have adequate capacity to store perishable foods.
“The John T. Gorman Foundation is pleased to do our part to help Good Shepherd Food Bank provide more Maine residents with nutritious food during the winter months – an especially challenging time for far too many families,” said Tony Cipollone, president of the John T. Gorman Foundation. “Given the upheaval experienced by many of our food assistance programs because of 2013 funding cuts, we believed that this was a particularly important investment to make and one that truly reflects the spirit and wishes of our founder. We hope that it can be a compliment to the impressive efforts being undertaken by communities throughout Maine.”
Fifteen percent of Maine households face hunger, according to USDA statistics. It is estimated that one in four Maine children does not get the nutritious food they need to grow and thrive. Good Shepherd Food Bank is committed to providing nutritious food for our network of partner hunger relief agencies across Maine.
For statistics on hunger and poverty, photos, or interview requests, please contact Clara Whitney at (207) 782-3554 x1166 or cwhitney@gsfb.org.
About Good Shepherd Food Bank
As the largest hunger relief organization in Maine, Good Shepherd Food Bank provides for Mainers facing hunger by distributing nutritious food to 600 partner agencies across the state, including food pantries, meal sites, and youth programs. Together with its network, the Food Bank leads a statewide effort to combat the root causes of hunger by engaging in advocacy, nutrition education, and strategic partnerships. In 2013, the Food Bank distributed more than 15 million pounds of food to families, children, and seniors in need throughout Maine. Website: www.feedingmaine.org; Phone: (207) 782-3554; Facebook: www.facebook.com/feedingmaine; Twitter: www.twitter.com/feedingmaine.
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