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GOOD SHEPHERD FOOD BANK AND FEEDING AMERICA NETWORK RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT HUNGER THROUGHOUT HUNGER ACTION MONTH

The Food Bank will “Go Orange” on September 3 to Kick Off Hunger Action Month Activities

Auburn, ME (August 27, 2015) – Good Shepherd Food Bank, a member of  the Feeding America® nationwide network of food banks, will observe Hunger Action MonthTM – a nationwide initiative, taking place in September, designed to mobilize the public to take action on the issue of hunger.

To kick the month off, the Food Bank will take part in Hunger Action Day, which will be held Thursday, September 3.  Hunger Action Day is an opportunity to shine a light on the issue of hunger and the 1 in 6 people who face hunger in America – including more than 200,000 people here in Maine.

To commemorate Hunger Action Day, Good Shepherd Food Bank will turn its Auburn warehouse orange, the color used to represent the hunger relief movement in America. Additional events and activities will take place throughout the month of September to raise awareness and encourage people to take action.

“One in four children in Maine struggle with hunger, and Good Shepherd Food Bank is eager to rally around Hunger Action Month as we continue our fight to solve this issue,” said Kristen Miale, president of Good Shepherd Food Bank. “Hunger is an issue that affects everyone – our child’s classmate, an office coworker or neighbor down the street. September is an opportunity for all hunger-relief advocates to take simple steps towards supporting those in need.”

The Feeding America network of food banks also is participating in the new SpoontemberTM online initiative. To get involved, supporters can share a ‘spoon selfie’ or video of themselves balancing a spoon on their nose – a utensil that is most often used to prepare and provide food for others – and challenge friends and family to join them to generate awareness of the 49 million Americans who may not know where they’ll find their next meal.

“Domestic hunger affects every community in our nation, preventing millions of families, seniors and children from thriving,” said Matt Knott, president of Feeding America. “This September we all are given a chance to come together and make a difference for those facing hunger.”

Good Shepherd Food Bank is providing several opportunities for community members to get involved in Hunger Action Month in Maine:

  • Thursday, September 3 – Hunger Action Day – “Go Orange” and light up social media with messages of hunger awareness
  • Saturday, September 12 – Neighbors Helping Neighbors Food Drive – Bangor Mall & Maine Mall
  • Sunday, September 13 – Lake Auburn Half Marathon – Central Maine Community College
  • Thursday, September 17 – “Feeding Maine: Growing Access to Good Food” Photography Exhibit – Gallery 75 in Portland
  • Download the “30 Ways in 30 Days” Calendar to find an action for each day in September

Good Shepherd Food Bank is one of 200 member Feeding America food banks, which serves every county in the United States and provides over 3 billion meals each year to Americans in need.

To learn more about the Food Bank’s Hunger Action Month activities in Maine, please visit www.gsfb.org/hunger-action-month.

To learn more about Feeding America’s Hunger Action Month activities and Spoontember, please visit www.hungeractionmonth.org.

About Hunger Action Month
September is Hunger Action Month, when we ask everyone in America to take action to fight hunger in their community, all month long. Hunger Action Month is your opportunity to join a movement that has a real and lasting impact on our effort to feed more Americans than ever before. Whether it’s by advocating and raising awareness, making donations, or volunteering, individuals can find the way that’s right for them to make a difference during Hunger Action Month.

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 2014, the Food Bank distributed 17.5 million meals 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.

About Feeding America
Feeding America is the nationwide network of 200 food banks that leads the fight against hunger in the United States. Together, we provide food to more than 46 million people through 60,000 food pantries and meal programs in communities across America. Feeding America also supports programs that improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Individuals, charities, businesses and government all have a role in ending hunger. Donate. Volunteer. Advocate. Educate.  Together we can solve hunger. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.