Food Bank Selects Maine’s Credit Unions as Recipient of 2014 JoAnn Pike Humanitarian Award
Celebratory dinner will be held at the Food Bank in Auburn on April 3
Auburn, ME – Maine’s credit unions will be honored with the JoAnn Pike Humanitarian Award at a dinner at Good Shepherd Food Bank on April 3. Through the Credit Unions’ Campaign for Ending Hunger, Maine’s credit unions have been a leader in the fight against hunger for many years, in addition to supporting numerous other charitable causes throughout the state.
Each year Good Shepherd Food Bank selects an award recipient in honor of its founder, JoAnn Pike. This year the Food Bank is inviting the community to come together to honor this outstanding association of Maine-based businesses and advance the important mission of ending hunger in Maine.
Maine’s credit unions and their members have raised more than $5 million dollars to help end hunger in Maine since 1990 through the Campaign for Ending Hunger. One hundred percent of all money that is raised through the campaign stays in Maine and goes directly to assist thousands of Maine families and individuals who otherwise would go hungry.
In addition to contributing thousands of dollars to food pantries in communities across Maine, Maine’s credit unions also help to provide funds for statewide initiatives to help end hunger. The Campaign for Ending Hunger recently announced a multi-year commitment to Good Shepherd Food Bank’s efforts to end childhood hunger in Maine through support of the Food Bank’s BackPack and School Pantry programs.
In 2013, Maine’s credit unions contributed more than $1 million to a variety of causes including ending hunger. In addition to helping solve hunger, funds have also been raised to promote financial literacy and support many other outstanding organizations, such as the Red Cross, Special Olympics and countless other organizations in communities across Maine. In the past eleven years, Maine credit union employees have contributed more than 293,000 volunteer hours, including a record of more than 37,000 hours last year, to their communities.
Due to their outstanding level of commitment to supporting the communities and people of Maine, and especially their dedication to fighting hunger, Maine’s credit unions are extremely deserving of the 2014 JoAnn Pike Humanitarian Award.
In addition to recognizing the award recipient, the celebration on April 3 will serve as an opportunity to raise crucial funds needed to eliminate hunger in Maine communities. Sponsors for the event include TD Bank and WEX and many additional sponsorship opportunities are available. For information about sponsoring or attending this event please visit the event website or contact Julie Sexton Guerette at jsexton@gsfb.org or (207) 782-3554 ext. 1164.
Fifteen percent of Maine households lack access to enough nutritious food and one in four Maine children face hunger each day. The Food Bank is the primary hub of Maine’s hunger relief network, partnering with 600 local hunger relief agencies throughout the state to feed more than 100,000 people each month. Due to efficiencies in the food banking system, Good Shepherd Food Bank provides 3 meals to Maine families with each dollar donated to the organization.
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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 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.