Partner Agency

Becoming a Partner Agency
Contact Community Resources

Applications:

The FY22-23 Capacity Building Grant Program application is now closed
Apply for a Food Mobile

Resources:

2021 Winter Updates
2020 Winter Distributions
Capacity Building Grant Resources
COVID-19 Resources
Documents
Food Safety Training
Newsletter
Regional Networking
Resources from Cooking Matters Maine
Service Insights Initiative

Our Network

Good Shepherd Food Bank works in partnership with nearly 600 food assistance programs throughout Maine, from Kittery to Fort Kent, to help get food to Mainers at risk of going hungry.

Our network of programs includes community food pantries, soup kitchens, senior centers, shelters, schools and youth programs.

Partner Agency Login

Auburn Distribution Center

3121 Hotel Road
Appointment Hours for Auburn:
Monday-Thursday: 7:30 am – 12:30 pm
Friday: 7:30 am – 11:00 am

View Map

Hampden Distribution Center

11 Penobscot Meadow Drive
Appointment Hours for Hampden:
M, W: 8:30 am to 12:30 pm
Tu, Th: 7:30 am to 12:30 pm
F: 7:30 am to 11:00 am

View Map

Becoming a Partner Agency

It is important that every Maine citizen have a place to turn to get food in times of crisis and need. If you are connected with an organization involved in extending hunger relief to an underserved community, we encourage you to consider partnering with Good Shepherd Food Bank to better help meet the need in your community.

Agency Qualifications

We owe it to our donors, existing partners, and especially the people in need of food assistance to ensure our donated food is distributed safely and fairly across the state. Partner agencies that receive food from Good Shepherd Food Bank must meet these basic standards.

  • The agency must be a federally tax exempt organization. (Maine State exemption does not apply.)
  • The agency must be able to provide proof it serves a needy population.
  • Products must be given free of charge to recipients participating in the agency’s programs.
  • The civil rights of recipients must be observed and respected.
  • Donations from recipients or participation in political or religious activities must be truly voluntary and not related at all to the distribution of food.
  • The agency must agree to and sign our Agency Contract.

    Application Process

    Thank you for your interest in partnership with Good Shepherd Food Bank. The Food Bank is only accepting applications for partnership from organizations that serve an unfilled gap in our service area. If you feel that your program meets this requirement, please reach out to the Community Resources Coordinator by phone to discuss further at (207)782-3554.

Capacity Building Grant Resources

Webinar Slides

 

Click here for a PDF of the webinar’s slides.

Webinar Recording

Contacting Community Resources

The Food Bank has a dedicated Community Partnerships team, comprised of professionals who are committed to supporting Maine’s hunger relief network. We offer a wide range of services and resources to help our partner agencies better serve their patrons.

Community Partnerships Staff

Community Resource Representatives:

Angie Adams
Androscoggin, Cumberland, and Oxford Counties
aadams@gsfb.org or (207) 440-4121

Sarah Fuentes
Aroostook, Franklin, Kennebec, and Somerset Counties
sfuentes@gsfb.org or (207) 520-7667

Mary Turner
Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc (+ Brunswick and Freeport), and Waldo Counties
mturner@gsfb.org or (207) 346-0756

Shannon Rooney
Hancock, Piscataquis, Washington, and York Counties
srooney@gsfb.org or (207) 800-6436

Deb Gerow
Penobscot County
dgerow@gsfb.org or (207) 782-3554

Jen MacDonald – Community Resources Manager
jmacdonald@gsfb.org or (207) 577-4393

Dawn DiFiore – Director of Community Partnerships
ddifiore@gsfb.org or (207) 344-1268

Shannon Coffin – VP of Community Partnerships
scoffin@gsfb.org or (207) 782-3554 ext.1163

Amber Brooks – Community Partnerships Assistant
abrooks@gsfb.org

Nutrition Department and Cooking Matters:

Courtney Kennedy – Director of Nutrition
ckennedy@gsfb.org or (207) 517-3925 ext. 1125

Denise Gaudette – Cooking Matters Manager
dgaudette@gsfb.org or (207) 782-3554 ext. 1129

Meg Brown – Community Nutrition Manager
mbrown@gsfb.org or (207) 517-3927 ext. 1147

Sarah Lorenz – Community Nutrition Coordinator
slorenz@gsfb.org

Fresh root vegetables in crates at the farm.

Applying for a Food Mobile

Please note: 

Given the need to practice social distancing due to COVID-19, we are unable to support Food Mobile operations at this time.

 

What is the Food Mobile?

The Food Mobile program uses a refrigerated truck to deliver perishable and non-perishable food to a community in need. We work with partner agencies and other groups to deliver this service to communities based on need and available grant funding. The Food Mobile program is funded through grants that are received by Good Shepherd Food Bank. Often times funding is specific to certain communities or counties of the state. The Food Bank will prioritize unrestricted Food Mobile grant funds to those areas most experiencing food insecurity due to high unemployment, natural or other disaster, or lack of other resources.

  • For answers to frequently asked questions about the Food Mobile program, including how many volunteers are needed to host a Food Mobile, please see Food Mobile FAQs.

Good Shepherd Food Bank publishes a calendar of Food Mobile distributions. The hosting agency or community group is responsible for all event outreach and communication to the community.

FAQs

Documents

Food Keeper Brochure | Download PDF

GSFB Agency Contract  |  Download PDF

TEFAP Financial Eligibility Form| Download DOC

TEFAP Reporting Form | Download DOC or Download Excel

Retail Store Donation Tracking Form  |  Download PDF

2023 Holiday & Inventory Calendar  |  Download PDF

Winter Storm Policy  | Download PDF

School Program Resources

School Pantry Tool Kit  | Download PDF

CACFP At-Risk Handbook  |  Download PDF

Maine Summer Meals Manual  |  Download PDF

Summer Food Program Manual  |  Download PDF

Below is a list of various networks across the state.
Please consider reaching out to one in your area.

Food Security Coalition of Mid Coast Maine
Sagadahoc and Lincoln Counties and the Brunswick area
Contact: Heather Arvidson
Email  |  Website  |  (207) 725-2716 x305

Washington County Food and Fuel Alliance
Washington County
Contact: Wendy Harrington
Email  |  Website  |  (207) 546-5870

Hancock County Food Security Network
Hancock County
Contact: Marjorie Peronto
Email  |   1 (800) 287-1479

Newsletter

The Agency Services team publishes a bi-monthly online newsletter to keep our partners informed about updates at the Food Bank and provide a venue to share ideas and resources from the state network of partner agencies. If you work for a partner agency of Good Shepherd Food Bank and would like to receive the bi-monthly newsletter, sign up here.

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COVID-19 Resources

Partner Agencies:

Our agency and program partners are the backbones of Maine’s hunger-relief system. We all must be operational and ready to act, especially when our state may be facing extra challenges. Please scroll down for updates from our partner agencies.

What You Can Do Now

  • You and your staff/volunteers should be practicing preventative techniques (see these recommendations from the National Center for Disease Control).
  • Share this vaccination site resource: COVID-19 Vaccination Sites in Maine
  • You can stay up-to-date on news specific to COVID-19 in Maine through the Maine CDC website.
  • 2-1-1 is able to answer general questions about COVID-19. Patrons can dial 2-1-1 from any phone any time of the day, and a call specialist will be able to answer their general questions. This is an especially helpful option for patrons who do not have internet access.
  • Share the following webpage with your clients: https://mailchi.mp/gsfb.org/boxtips. Cooking Matters Maine, a program of Good Shepherd Food Bank, has created this page specifically for the pre-packed boxes. The page features cooking demonstration videos and recipes using ingredients found in the boxes.
  • Food Safety Q&A presented by Kathy Savoie and colleagues from UMaine Cooperative Extension
  • Need food? SNAP may be able to help – a resource from Maine Equal Justice.

Planning Ahead
Having an emergency response plan is, and always has been, important – for bad weather, an unforeseen power outage, a disaster at your site (fire, flood), or any event that impacts your community or agency. While you have time now, consider how you would be able to continue to provide assistance to your community in an emergency.

  • Here are a few ideas in the case of a health emergency, and we’d appreciate hearing about any other strategies you can think of:
    Patrons may need to send a friend or neighbor to your pantry or program for help. If you do not have a “proxy pick-up” system, you may want to consider making this available to community members who are sick or are advised to avoid public places due to an underlying health condition that makes them vulnerable. You can print menus or provide information over the phone in order to allow some customization of food boxes.
  • For pantries with the ability, a safe parking lot, and volunteers to assemble pre-made boxes, you may want to consider a drive-through distribution system for the short-term where patrons can stay in their cars and food can be placed in their cars. This allows you to continue to serve community members but create some distance between volunteers and patrons and patrons from one another.
  • Food pantries may also want to consider temporarily extending your hours and creating appointments in order to reduce the number of people at the pantry at any one time.
  • Meal programs may want to consider allowing friends/neighbors to pick up for homebound patrons and/or providing bagged meals for taking away, rather than sit-down meals, to reduce the amount of time guests have contact with one another and with volunteers/staff.

Please be in touch with any questions or concerns, especially if you think you will need to change your distribution times or style. Your Community Resources Representative is available to provide resources.

Resources from Cooking Matters Maine

  • The Nutrition and Education team at Good Shepherd Food Bank is excited to announce the launch of the Food Bank’s newest website, www.NutritionForME.org. A one-stop online resource to find simple, nutritious, and easy-to-make recipes feature many ingredients available through the Food Bank! Search through hundreds of recipes to see what you can make with everyday ingredients.
  • Free download of “Cooking Matters at Home” is now available at the link below. This is an incredible resource full of ideas for how families can use what foods are available to create quick, family-friendly, low-cost meals, like a Step-by-Step Pasta Dinner with plenty of substitutions to play around with.