A Day on the Road with a Food Bank Driver: Connecting Food to Communities Across Maine
At Good Shepherd Food Bank, we have an incredible team of drivers who work tirelessly to deliver nutritious food to communities across Maine. Rain, snow, or shine, our drivers are on the road safely delivering food. Today and every day, we celebrate these dedicated professionals who travel from Kittery to Fort Kent, ensuring that food reaches our partner food pantries, meal programs, and communities in every corner of the state.
In Maine, Good Shepherd Food Bank operates two warehouse distribution centers, one in Auburn and one in Hampden. These centers are where food is sourced, received, inventoried, and then distributed to our partners across the state.
Recently, we had the opportunity to join Will Leighton, a Class A Driver from our Auburn Distribution Center, on a distribution route through Androscoggin and Oxford counties. Will is one of the eight drivers on our transportation team. As the only Feeding America partner food bank in the state, we serve all 16 counties in Maine through a network of nearly 600 partners, including food pantries, meal sites, shelters, senior centers, healthcare facilities, and school programs.
Six drivers operate from Auburn, while two work out of Hampden. Together, these drivers cover hundreds of miles each day, ensuring that food is delivered efficiently and in a timely manner for people experiencing hunger.
Before the trucks head out on their routes, the dedicated distribution teams at the Food Bank prepare the orders days in advance. These teams carefully pick and pack each order, which includes shelf-stable items, fresh produce, cooler items, and frozen food. Orders are packed individually and placed on pallets according to orders from partner hunger-relief organizations.
Most of our partners begin by shopping with us for essential items and then supplement their supplies by purchasing other goods directly or receiving contributions through food drives and donations. This system enables our partners to stretch their budgets further, ensuring they can provide more food to their communities.
On a cold, early December morning, we set out with snow flurries flying as we made our way down the road. The drive began at 5:45 a.m. but Will had already been preparing for nearly two hours, stocking pallets of food and getting the truck warmed up and prepared for the day’s deliveries. Driving large Class A trucks requires extensive training, and drivers like Will demonstrate the expertise and patience needed to ensure that deliveries are made safely and efficiently, including navigating snowbanks and tight slippery roads, while backing into driveways of remote pantries. Not all locations have accessible entry points for larger trucks, so navigating these challenges in all types of weather is a key part of the job.
Throughout the day, conversations centered around the profound impact access to fresh food on a consistent basis has on local families. The dedication of the drivers and volunteers was evident at every stop. From loading the truck to unloading at the pantry, every step is part of a team effort to ensure food reaches people who need it most.
The following partner organizations were visited during this route:
- Woodstock Food Pantry, Woodstock, Maine
- Andover Food Pantry, Andover, Maine
- Town of Carthage Food Pantry, Carthage, Maine
- Servant’s Heart Food Pantry, Canton, Maine
- Canton Baptist Church Food Pantry, Canton, Maine
- Gather to Grow, Lewiston, Maine
By the end of the day, the deliveries made a significant impact, helping to provide food to six pantries that collectively serve thousands of people. The work of drivers like Will is essential to the work of our mission, ending hunger in Maine. Their daily commitment ensures that nutritious food reaches communities, no matter the obstacles they may face.
Good Shepherd Food Bank is proud to support hunger-relief organizations and the communities they serve. To learn more about how to get involved to eliminate hunger in Maine, explore options here.