Mainebiz Giving Guide

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 7 G I V I N G G U I D E 2 0 2 2 – 2 0 2 3 GIVING GUIDE Good Shepherd turns attention to Piscataquis County with recent initiative B y L a u r i e S c h r e i b e r Maine's largest hunger-relief organization is teaming with Piscataquis Regional Food Center, a Dover-Foxcroft nonprofit founded in 2017, to launch a new initiative to end hunger in Piscataquis County. Good Shepherd Food Bank of Maine and Pisca- taquis Regional Food Center announced the Com- munity-Driven Strategies to End Hunger initiative in early September. "In 2018, the food bank built upon existing work to divide Maine into 27 regions," Shannon Coffin, Good Shepherd Food Bank's vice president of community part- nerships, said. "We then used town-level food insecurity data and determined community-level meal gaps. Local experts come together with Good Shepherd Food Bank team members to identify solutions to the area's unique food access challenges." e food bank focuses on two to three of the 27 regions each year. Cohort four will begin this fall and includes Piscataquis County. Each region will develop its own environmental scans, identify key stakeholders, assess strengths and opportunities, host focus groups with those experiencing food insecurity, and create work plans for ending hunger in their communities. "is investment by Good Shepherd Food Bank in our county means that our agencies, thought leaders and patrons can work together to find solutions tailored to combat hunger in our communities," said Kelly Sirimo- glu, Piscataquis Regional Food Center's executive direc- tor. "Piscataquis County has challenges that may not exist in other parts of the state, and when we approach the problem with local knowledge, we are much more likely to be successful." e Good Shepherd initiative has previously sup- ported projects in Lewiston, the Portland suburbs, Northern Penobscot County, Washington County and Lincoln County. Cohort three is currently in progress and supports projects in Northern Kennebec County and Somerset County. Cohort four will begin this fall and will be supporting projects in Piscataquis County and the Biddeford area. Good Shepherd sources nutritious food and distrib- utes it to nearly 600 partner organizations across the state, including food pantries, meal sites, schools, health care centers and senior programs. e food bank also supports partners with capacity-building and innovation grants that improve and promote equitable and dignified access to nutritious food across the state. In 2021, Good Shepherd distributed more than 31.6 million meals through its network of partners, and invested $4.4 million in grants to its partners. It is currently lead- ing a $250 million Campaign to End Hunger in Maine. Over 180,000 Mainers rely on Good Shepherd Food Bank and its partners. Good Shepherd has said its goal is to provide access to nutritious food to all those struggling with hunger by 2025. e organization works with food donors, philan- thropic supporters and local partners across the state. An Augusta nonprofit brings on new director, honors founder B y R e n e e C o r d e s Bread of Life Ministries, an Augusta-based nonprofit that feeds the hungry and provides safe shelter to those in need, has named Victoria Abbott as its new executive director. e Augusta native is involved in several community organizations. She is president of the Augusta Downtown Alliance, president of the Augusta Rotary Club and an advi- sor with the Olympia Snowe Women's Leadership Institute. While Abbott started her new role at Bread of Life several months ago, the appointment has not been made public until now. She succeeded John Richardson in the role. e organization, whose roots go back more than 35 years, started as a soup kitchen opened by Carolyn Neighoff. She stepped out of an official role at the orga- nization in 2008 and was honored for her service at an event in September. Abbott, whose appointment was made public at the same event, said she was inspired to get involved in Bread of Life by Neighoff, who had been her field hockey coach in high school. Thank you to the sponsors who helped to make this conference a success. Media sponsor: C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y O F B R E A D O F L I F E M I N I S T R I E S P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y O F G O O D S H E P H E R D F O O D B A N K Good Shepherd Food Bank earmarked $100,000 for hunger relief efforts in Piscataquis County. Victoria Abbott, left, executive director of the Bread of Life Ministries, with the organization's founder, Carolyn Neighoff.

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