Dear Editor:

On behalf of Good Shepherd Food Bank and our neighbors who are experiencing hunger in Maine, I would like to sincerely thank members of the Boothbay Harbor community for coming together to help raise two million dollars for the Food Bank’s Campaign to End Hunger in Maine.

In 2021, an Auburn native and University of Maine graduate who spends the warmer months in Boothbay Harbor challenged Mainers to help fight hunger in the state by anonymously pledging one million dollars to match new and increased gifts to the Campaign to End Hunger. With support from many donors in the Boothbay Harbor community and others across the state, the one million dollar matching challenge was successfully met last month to help the Food Bank meet its goal of ensuring every Mainer has access to the nutritious food they need to thrive, when and where they need it, by 2025.

I am incredibly grateful for the leadership support from this donor who invested in the future of our state and encouraged others to do the same. I am inspired by the donor’s trust and confidence, and by so many supporters across the state who are rallying to ensure all Mainers have access to enough healthy food, today and in the future.

While this gift and the campaign directly support the Food Bank’s statewide work, it will also impact our more than 500 partners in Maine, including our 18 partners in Lincoln County where one in four children experiences food insecurity. These community partners have the vision, strategies, and key partnerships in place to address the root causes of hunger and provide long-term solutions. Together, we are finding solutions that will reduce the impact of hunger in the lives of our neighbors in Boothbay Harbor and beyond.

Kristen Miale, President

Good Shepherd Food Bank