AUBURN — Hannaford Supermarkets has donated $25,000 to Good Shepherd Food Bank for the expansion of its child hunger programs in Maine, including School Pantry and the BackPack Program.
The funds will help to launch or expand food programs locally at Limestone Community School and in the community of Houlton, as well as other schools farther south. The programs will ensure vulnerable students and their families have a readily accessible source of healthy and nutritious food to prepare at home.
“We are so thankful for the support of Hannaford in helping Good Shepherd Food Bank expand our child hunger programs into new communities,” said Kristen Miale, president of Good Shepherd Food Bank.
“At a time when one in four Maine children are not able to access the nutritious food they need to thrive, programs like these are needed more than ever to close the meal gap when school is not in session. This gift will ensure that the students in these communities have access to the nutrition they need to succeed inside and outside of the classroom,” Miale said.
Hannaford Supermarkets is a longtime supporter of Good Shepherd Food Bank and its child hunger initiatives. During the past two years, the company has donated $70,000 to combat child hunger and supported program startups in Maine.
Sherri Stevens, community relations manager for the Scarborough-based company, said, “Families with children are in particular need. No child should ever be distracted from their learning by concern about where their next meal is coming from.”
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. For more information, visit www.feedingmaine.org or call 782-3554.
