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Dear Friend,

               

While the challenges of relieving food insecurity and hunger in Maine, especially among children and the elderly, continue to escalate, I am amazed by the generosity of those that continue to support our mission of Feeding Maine's Hungry.  Individuals, businesses and civic groups are continually finding endless, creative ways to rally to help us help those that are most in need.

 

Recently, we have been fortunate to receive several grants and funding opportunities as well as form partnerships that are going to help us work more efficiently, and ultimately, provide more food with a higher nutritional value to those that are hungry. This edition of the newsletter is focused on these special projects. I hope that you will take a few moments to read each article to learn how we, with the help of many, are working to improve the service that we provide to those that are hungry throughout Maine.

 

One of these special programs is already taking shape. Through the Maine Farm Initiative, we have begun to focus our efforts on obtaining locally grown products including produce and seafood for distribution throughout the state. By doing this we are not only increasing the nutritional value of the food we distribute, we are providing a boost to the local economy. Farmers, fishermen and those that are hungry all benefit from this partnership.

 

I am grateful for the support you give and the trust that you instill in Good Shepherd Food-Bank. Because you chose to partner with us, we provided over 12 million meals in 2009. That's what I call a real impact!

 

God bless you,

 

Rick Small

Executive Director

Local Partnerships Mean More Quality Food
 

Last summer, the Food-Bank received a major grant from the JTG Foundation that will have an enormous impact on the way that we acquire and distribute food.  

 

Using the funds from the JTG Foundation grant, the Food-Bank will seek to focus on opening local food channels, improving the nutritional quality of food distributed, increasing the amount of food obtained through Maine resources, and providing economic incentives for Maine farmers, dairy operators and food processors to partner in the Food-Bank's mission.

 

Although we are still early in the process, several partnerships have already been formed and the benefits are being felt by our food pantries, soup kitchens and others that depend on the Food-Bank. Partnerships with Pineland Farms, Nova Seafood and Cozy Harbor Seafood have provided our agencies with quality cheeses, Maine shrimp and haddock. The agencies have been thrilled with the quality of these products and are excited to see what comes next!

 

Cutting Edge Software will Provide Food-Bank with New Transportation Efficiency
 

Beginning this month, all of the Food-Bank's delivery trucks will be equipped with the UPS Roadnet System thanks to a grant from the UPS Foundation. The UPS Roadnet System will help the Food-Bank to increase efficiency by providing each truck with a set of precise directions for each day's pick-ups and deliveries.

 

The cutting-edge software will recalculate the Food-Bank's existing store donation routes, seeking the most efficient and cost-effective scenarios. All of the trucks in the fleet will be equipped with Roadnet mobile data devices, allowing the drivers easy access as they update their information after each store pickup.

 

In addition to being able to provide better service to our food donors and agencies, we anticipate that the UPS Roadnet system will reduce our trucking costs by providing "best-track" directions causing a reduction in miles traveled.


GSFB Truck
 "Generating" Funds for the Food-Bank
 
The Lions of Maine are committed to raising the funds to purchase and install a standby generator for the Food-Bank. A power outage of more than a few hours would result in a loss of thousands of pounds of perishable products. This would be disastrous to the Food-Bank and the thousands of people the Food-Bank serves each month.
 

The Lions Club International Foundation has already committed $75,000 to this project. Eighty-two clubs throughout at the state are working to meet the remaining goal of $76,000. Each club will have their own unique fundraisers to help to reach the goal.

To find the Lions Club in your area, visit www.mainelions.org.

Local Partnerships Mean More Quality Food
 
Cutting Edge Software Provides Food-Bank with New Transportation Efficiency 
 
Upcoming Food Drives
 
"Generating" Funds
 
Plant A Row

Upcoming Food Drives
 
March 14, 5 PM - Join us as the Maine Red Claws take on Iowa in one of the final home games of the season. The Food-Bank will be on hand to collect non-perishable food items for distribution throughout Maine. Signed Red Claws items will be available for raffle with proceeds going to the Food-Bank!
 
March 19, 9 AM - 4 PM - Stop by the Shaw's Supermarket in Westgate Shopping Center to participate in the Casco Bay Sunrise Rotary Food Drive. Donations will help to feed Mainers who are food insecure.
 
April 4, 4 PM - Make plans to attend the Portland Pirates game on April 4. The Food-Bank will have a donation station at each of the Civic Center entrances where fans can donate non-perishable food items. Anyone who donates will receive a ticket for a future Pirates home game! 
 
Plant a Row, Provide a Meal
 

We're calling on all farmers and backyard gardeners to plant an extra row of fruits and vegetables this spring. Last year, Good Shepherd Food-Bank distributed over 800,000 lbs of fresh produce over the growing season thanks, in part, to donations from local farmers and gardeners.

 

If you are interested in learning more about our "Plant a Row" program, please contact Nancy Perry at nperry@gsfb.org or 782-3554 x 109.

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