Good Shepard Food Bank to Release Request for Proposals that Address Hunger in Washington County

For Immediate Release 

Date: February 5, 2021

Program Contact: Regina Grabrovac, Healthy Acadia, (207) 255-3741 Ext. 104 or Regina@HealthyAcadia.org

Media Contact: Tracey Carlson, Healthy Acadia, 207) 667-7171 Ext. 112 or Tracey@HealthyAcadia.org   

Good Shepherd Food Bank to Release Request for Proposals that Address Hunger in Washington County

As part of Good Shepherd Food Bank’s (GSFB) Community-Driven Strategies (CDS) initiative in Washington County, the nonprofit food security organization is seeking requests for funding proposals from local stakeholders and organizations to develop creative solutions to address hunger at the local level. Good Shepherd Food Bank $50,000, which will be matched by a generous $50,000 donation from Washington County Food and Fuel Alliance via Elmina B. Sewall Foundation’s Twin Pandemics transformative grant, for a total of $100,000 available to fund proposals.

Interested applicants may submit funding requests for up to $50,000 to support initiatives that address hunger in at least one of the three priority areas identified by local participating community members: 1. Creating ‘Last Mile’ solutions that improve physical access to nutritious food; 2. Connecting clients to wrap-around services and; 3. Strengthening the current network of food pantries and community partners. Any organization is eligible to apply, and collaborative partnerships that build on each other’s strengths are strongly encouraged. 

With the launch of their Community-Driven Strategies initiative in 2018, Good Shepherd Food Bank divided Maine into 27 regions by analyzing meal gaps using town-level food insecurity data. Each year, the organization selects two or three regions of focus to convene local experts and identify solutions to their area’s unique food access challenges in an effort to close the meal gap. Each region has the opportunity to develop environmental scans, identify key stakeholders, complete a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis, host focus groups of those with lived experience, and set customized objectives for ending hunger on the home front. Washington and Lincoln counties are the current regions of focus.

Good Shepard Food Bank recognizes that solutions need to come from members of a community because they know best the local challenges that contribute to hunger for them and their neighbors, as well as the unique assets that will help solve it.  The organization and the local team have been impressed with Washington County’s collaborative capacities throughout this initiative and intend to continue to utilize and build on this strength in both the application submission and review process.

On February 16, 2021, there will be an informational call and February 26 is the deadline for a pre-read opportunity. Final applications are due on April 2, 2021.

For more information about the Community-Driven Strategies initiative, the informational call, pre-read period or to receive a copy of the request for funding proposals, contact Good Shepard Food Bank Community Organizer and Healthy Acadia Food Programs Manager, Regina Grabrovac at (207) 255-3741 Ext.104 or by email at Regina@HealthyAcadia.org.

Healthy Acadia is a 501(C)(3) community health organization building vibrant communities and making it easier for all people to lead healthy lives throughout Washington and Hancock counties. This year, Healthy Acadia invites you to join them in celebrating 20 years of empowering people and organizations to build healthy communities together. For more information about Healthy Acadia’s community health initiatives, visit HealthyAcadia.org. 

The Good Shepherd Food Bank works 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. Learn more at www.gsfb.org. 

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