HAMPDEN, Maine — On Monday, March 12, the Maine Credit Unions’ Campaign for Ending Hunger announced a new, $100,000 commitment to Good Shepherd Food Bank’s renovation project to expand capacity and distribution at its new Greater Bangor Region Distribution Center in Hampden.
The announcement included the presentation of the first installment of $50,000 to the project. In addition, Good Shepherd Food Bank announced that the new food packing area at the facility will be named the Maine Credit Unions’ Food Packing Area, as part of the expanded partnership.
The funds for the contribution are just a small portion of the record-setting $740,000 raised by Maine’s credit unions in 2017 for ending hunger.
Kristen Miale, president of Good Shepherd Food Bank, expressed appreciation and gratitude that Maine’s credit unions are again at the forefront of a new initiative.
“The single greatest obstacle to meeting the Food Bank’s long-term goal of distributing 31 million meals annually – particularly with more healthy, fresh food acquired from Maine farmers – is the limited capacity and location of our existing Auburn-based distribution center and cold storage,” said Miale.
“To overcome capacity challenges and better reach Mainers in northern and Down East Maine, the Food Bank is renovating its new facility into a 40,000-square-foot storage and distribution center. Once complete, the Hampden facility will have the capacity to annually distribute 13 million pounds of food — the equivalent of 10.8 million meals. The new commitment from Maine’s credit unions provides a significant boost in our effort. Maine’s credit unions continue to be leaders in helping to end hunger in Maine, and are valued partners of the Food Bank and Mainers who struggle with hunger.”
Todd Mason, president of the Maine Credit Union League, said the new commitment “represents our shared vision of creating expanded access to food.”
Mason said, “This initiative aligns with our other partnerships with Good Shepherd Food Bank including the School Backpack and Pantry program, and the Food Mobile. We are excited to support initiatives that work towards the goal of ending hunger in Maine. We also recognize that the issue is less about there being enough food and more about getting the food to those who need it. This new distribution center will go a long way towards meeting that need, and we are thrilled to be a part of that.”
Since 1990, the Maine Credit Unions’ Campaign for Ending Hunger has raised $8 million to help end hunger in Maine including a record-setting $740,000 raised in 2017. All contributions to the Campaign are tax-deductible.
