We welcome local food producers throughout Maine to join our work to eliminate hunger in the state.

Formed in 2010, by Good Shepherd Food Bank of Maine, with only nine farm partners, the mission of Mainers Feeding Mainers was to get fresh and nutritionally balanced Maine-harvested food to neighbors facing food insecurity. Now, the program has grown to over 80 farm partners located throughout the state of Maine. Each operates a different distribution model and enables the Food Bank to make sure Maine families, no matter what their income or circumstances, have access to the nutritious food they need to live healthy lives.

“In the face of highly uncertain and shifting markets due to COVID-19, Mainers Feeding Mainers’ unwavering commitment to local farmers’ role in addressing food insecurity has helped our farm by providing a stable and flexible outlet for our surplus vegetables.”

Gene Ripley
RIPLEY FARM, Mainers Feeding Mainers program partner for four years

Gene Ripley, Mainers Feeding Mainers Farmer, standing in front of his crop in purple shirt, green pants, and red hat

Overview of the Mainers Feeding Mainers Framework

Each year, the Food Bank develops purchase agreements with our farm partners, committing to buy certain crops from them.
A majority of the MFM product goes to the Food Bank’s distribution centers as inventory for agency orders, but a good amount of food is being delivered directly by farmers to organizations in their backyards. The Food Bank coordinates direct deliveries to schools, healthcare centers, and even senior living facilities. As more partners employ a farm-to-pantry model, community relationships are strengthened, and food goes to neighbors while it’s at peak freshness because of decreased transportation time, which increases the shelf life of the produce.
All of our partner agencies have access to Mainers Feeding Mainers produce at no cost.
All of our farm partners are unique, whether they’re growing tomatoes, catching fish, or pulling frames from hives and cutting away the wax to get fresh honey. We actually have beehives at the Hampden Distribution Center producing honey for our MFM program.
Mainers Feeding Mainers is made possible through the generous support of the John T. Gorman Foundation, Elmina B. Sewall Foundation, Sandy River Foundation, John Merck Fund, Betterment Fund, Sam L. Cohen Foundation, New Balance Foundation, and other supporters.

Since launching the program,

We have worked with more than 80 farm partners to acquire and distribute over 2 million pounds of fresh, Maine-grown food per year to families in need.

For more information, contact Nancy Perry: nperry@gsfb.org or (207) 782-3554 x1109

Maine grown carrots in crates, being processed at the Good Shepherd Food Bank.

Our Farm Partners

Thank you to our farm partners across the state for helping us end hunger in Maine!

Farms distributing directly to local pantries:

Farms distributing to Good Shepherd Food Bank’s warehouses:

Interested in becoming a farm partner?

Click the button below to fill out our Farm Partner Application. For more information, contact Nancy Perry: NPerry@GSFB.org or (207) 782-3554 x1109

Mainers Feeding Mainers is made possible through the generous support of the John T. Gorman Foundation, Elmina B. Sewall Foundation, Sandy River Foundation, John Merck Fund, Betterment Fund, Sam L. Cohen Foundation, New Balance Foundation, and other supporters.

Farm Partner Application

Beets and Carrots at a Farmers Market

Download our Mainers Feeding Mainers Recipe Book and Program Details Sheet

Recipe Book

Program Details

Building on the Mainers Feeding Mainers Program

Harvesting Good

Building on the Mainers Feeding Mainers program, the Food Bank launched Harvesting Good, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Food Bank. Harvesting Good is a for-profit, public benefit corporation whose mission is to improve access to nutritious food for people experiencing hunger and strengthen regional food systems by creating food processing infrastructure to support farmers in the Northeast. In late 2022, Harvesting Good anticipates harvesting the first crop of broccoli florets grown, flash-frozen, and packaged right here in Maine. The broccoli will be sold to wholesalers, with anticipation for retailers in 2023 throughout the northeast. One hundred percent of net profits will be returned to food banks in these communities, including Good Shepherd Food Bank. FMI: www.HarvestingGood.com.