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2 Annual Report 2020 The mission of Good Shepherd Food Bank is to eliminate hunger in Maine by improving access to nutritious food for people in need, building strong community partnerships, and mobilizing the public in the fight to end hunger. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: Frank Pecoraro, Chair Ben Sprague, Vice-Chair Peter Richardson, Treasurer Scott Maker, Secretary BOARD MEMBERS: John Bennett Bruce Daman Jim Darroch Peter Forester Jason Fournier Barbara Gagne Michelle Hayes Dora Anne Mills, MD Claudette Ndayininahaze John Nutting David Reifschneider Christopher Rogers Victoria W. Rogers, MD Kate Rush Dyana Tull Bill Williamson Annual Report 2020 3 2020: A Year Like No Other. Last year at this time, we were beginning to understand the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The fear and uncertainty were a stark contrast to the optimism we held only months earlier as we looked over the horizon of 2020. At the time, there was good reason to have optimism. Although nearly 175,000 Mainers were facing hunger at the end of 2019, Maine had the lowest rate of hunger since the Great Recession. In partnership with food pantries, meal sites, schools, and healthcare centers across the state, we had grown our food distribution by 160 percent over the last decade—reaching upwards of 25 million meals in 2019. Together with community partners, elected officials, and dedicated supporters, we were making meaningful progress in ending hunger and improving the lives of thousands of Mainers. We could never have imagined the devastating impacts of COVID-19. Rates of hunger grew quickly as the pandemic took hold and remain above pre- pandemic levels today. Many Mainers reported needing to visit a food pantry for the very first time. Through intrepid work with our more than 500 statewide partners and with your generous support, we distributed 31.3 million meals in the calendar year 2020. Yet this is only 75 percent of the 40 million meals we project could be needed. Our community partners have risen to the occasion. From creating a welcoming experience for the thousands of neighbors visiting a food pantry for the first time and finding new ways to distribute more food safely, to comforting a neighbor who was brought to tears by the fresh fruits and vegetables she received—the staff and volunteers of community hunger relief partners are the true heroes. But let’s not let their courage and resiliency mask the undeniable truth—far too many Mainers were experiencing hunger before the pandemic and now we have a steeper climb ahead of us. Even with the economic impacts of the pandemic, ending hunger and its devestating effects is still within our reach. Last year we launched the Campaign to End Hunger in Maine, a bold $250 million campaign to fully close Maine’s meal gap by 2025. Our campaign will combine large-scale food donations with gifts from concerned individuals, foundations, and businesses-- like those listed in this annual report--to recover from the pandemic and ensure every Mainer has access to enough nutritious food. Let’s all come together and contribute to the solution. Let’s end hunger in Maine. President Good Shepherd Food Bank 4 Annual Report 2020 Campaign to 2025End Hunger In 2020 we launched an unprecedented statewide campaign focused around the bold goal of closing Maine’s meal gap and ending hunger by 2025. Through our campaign, all those experiencing hunger will have access to the nutritious food they need to thrive, when and where they need it. Working with food donors, philanthropic supporters, and local partners across the state, we will help stabilize the lives of the people we serve, reduce the impact of hunger in our state, and make Maine a stronger, more resilient place to work and live. To achieve these aspirations, we have set a goal to raise $250 million by 2025. We will raise at least $150 million in large-scale food donations and we will attract $100 million in private donations from individuals, business, and foundations. To date we have reached more than half of our goal! Together we will change our neighbors’ lives. Learn more at www.feedingmaine.org/campaign. Annual Report 2020 5 In 2020, Good Shepherd Food Bank distributed 31.3 million meals through our statewide network of more than 500 hardworking and dedicated partners. Closing Maine’s Meal Gap We estimate that 40 million meals were missing from the tables of Mainers in 2020 – this is Maine’s Meal Gap. We are currently providing 31.3 million meals per year and aim to close the meal gap by 2025. Meals distributed 6 Annual Report 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic Response THE IMPACT OF YOUR SUPPORT Hunger across Maine is climbing due to the economic impacts of COVID-19 Maine is in the midst of a devastating hunger crisis, fueled by the crushing economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the pandemic, Maine had the 12th worst food insecurity rate in the nation, with 175,000 Mainers relying on Good Shepherd Food Bank and our statewide network of partners. At the end of 2020, that number was estimated to be 215,000 people, including 60,000 children. Our partners have seen unprecedented demand in the face of reduced volunteer corps and the logistical challenges of delivering more food safely to all who need it. Yet 97 percent of our more than 500 partners remained open and operational throughout the pandemic and welcomed more people than ever before. Together with our partners, we distributed 31.3 million meals throughout 2020, a 25 percent increase over the prior year. We achieved this because Mainers who had the resources to help came forward like never before. Generosity, creativity, and caring have shone through as we welcomed new philanthropic donations of all sizes and innovative partnerships with businesses, foundations, and trade associations. The pandemic has brought the worst of times for Mainers experiencing hunger, yet it has shown us the best in Mainers. They have rallied around their neighbors with resiliency and generosity. Annual Report 2020 7 FROM THE FRONTLINES “In the last eight weeks, we have seen families continue to get in line about two hours early to receive a food bag weighing between 22-25 pounds. One family came through the line because the dad was laid off from his full-time job when the pandemic hit. They are a family of five with a newborn baby and a 7-year-old, Cooper, with kidney disease. Each week the family comes through and encourages us. Cooper made a sign that we hung on our front door, thanking us for loving our community. The dad started coming to volunteer and helps with the Thursday prep and Friday food distributions. It was then that he asked if he could come and help us serve our community because he was so grateful for the support we were giving his family. He wanted to be able to give back. He is a chef by trade and was also willing to assist with the senior meals that are prepared and then delivered. So far, over 1,100 meals were provided in eight weeks. The dad has been here helping prepare these meals for all of those weeks, even after cracking two ribs, he has been a great addition to our volunteer squad. It’s all about community helping community.” Adopt-A-Block of Aroostook, June 2020 8 Annual Report 2020 PARTNERSHIPS: COVID-19 PANDEMIC RESPONSE While individuals, businesses and foundations stepped up to help fuel our response, many major businesses and associations stepped in to directly bolster food distribution efforts. Only weeks into the COVID-19 crisis, L.L.Bean formed an unprecedented “It has been partnership with the Food Bank. With so much uncertainty about the virus and the state shutting down, our partner network had to quickly reduce volunteer corps a rewarding while finding ways to distribute food in low- or no-touch models, such as pre- experience for packed emergency food boxes. L.L.Bean quickly lent a portion of its workforce and space in its Freeport fulfillment center to pack more than one million pounds of food Maine’s fishermen into 45,302 emergency food boxes that were then distributed throughout the state to help feed our in the spring of 2020. Around the same time, dairy farmers found themselves with an oversupply of milk communities while and limited operations due to supply chain delays. Through a partnership with the supporting the Libra Foundation and Dairy Farmers of America, Pineland Farms Dairy repurposed milk into cheese that was then donated to the Food Bank for statewide distribution. crucial work of This project brought the Pineland Farms Dairy facility in Bangor back to full Good Shepherd Food operations after having to reduce production earlier in the pandemic. Bank.” Later on in the pandemic, fishermen up and down the Maine coast joined in efforts to help, too. Thanks to grant funding, the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association Ben Martens, worked with fishermen to donate more than 38,000 pounds of fish. This influx of Executive Director, healthy protein was welcomed at our partner food pantries and meal sites. Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association Our network of partners were able to maintain and grow food distribution throughout the pandemic thanks to these unique partnerships that supported Mainers experiencing hunger. Annual Report 2020 9 Increasing Food Access for Communities of Color As Good Shepherd Food Bank pivoted to providing emergency boxes of shelf-stable food in the early weeks of the pandemic, we quickly learned that our efforts weren’t helping all communities equitably. In direct response to feedback from leaders of communities of color, Good Shepherd Food Bank launched a new Community Redistribution Fund in May 2020 to increase access to culturally important foods for community members in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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