AUGUSTA — Kennebec Savings Bank has made a $75,000 donation to Good Shepherd Food Bank to support 40 partners in Kennebec County and the Freeport area.
“Giving back is at the foundation of what we do – and making this donation, which is designated to agency partners in our service area – is, quite simply, the right thing to do at this moment,” said Andrew Silsby, president and CEO of Kennebec Savings Bank. “On behalf of all of us at KSB, I extend our sincere gratitude for the important work Good Shepherd Food Bank does for the people of Maine.”
Because of the pandemic, the number of meals needed in Maine has skyrocketed back to levels seen during the Great Recession. It has put a microscope on the devastating impacts of hunger and food insecurity. Good Shepherd Food Bank’s network of over 500 partner agencies has grown its distribution from 10 million meals in 2010 to 27.2 million meals in the last fiscal year, ending on June 30, leaving a gap of nearly 13 million meals needed by Mainers struggling with hunger.
Kristen Miale, president of Good Shepherd Food Bank, said, “Pre-pandemic, 13 percent of Kennebec County’s population of 120,000 people were food insecure. The county is projected to experience a 22 percent increase in the food insecurity rate because of the pandemic. In keeping with our new focus on providing unrestricted gifts, each partner will receive funds to address their most pressing needs, including cold storage, safety equipment, and improving or expanding storage areas.”