It’s been more than 40 years since Good Shepherd Food Bank first opened its doors, as a way to help neighbors supplement their groceries. Now, the nonprofit is working on a much bigger mission: to eliminate hunger in Maine. They work in a variety of ways, including through food banks, cooking classes, working with healthcare providers, and meal coordination with local schools, to provide full bellies for all Mainers.
Colby Co. employee Rich McCauley has become inspired by all of GSFB’s efforts, and this year has helped to organize five volunteer days that he opens up to the entire company. “I like making this a monthly commitment to show up and help process food through the GSFB warehouse in Auburn,” McCauley said. “The need is neverending.”
During these trips, Colby Co. employees have helped to unpack, sort, and repacked food that will be distributed to local food shelters and resources throughout the state. In total, our team has helped move more than 10,000 pounds of food.
Employee Heather Beaulieu attended one of these volunteer days and immediately felt the impact behind the work. “There were an enormous amount of donations of all kinds to be processed, but the system at Good Shepherd Food Bank was well-organized. I was able to jump in and help with a ten minute tutorial, and immediately felt I was making a difference.”
So far this year, Colby Co. has donated more than 125 volunteer hours to Good Shepherd, with at least one more volunteer event scheduled for later this month.