Auburn, Maine – December 16, 2021 – In response to the growing number of food insecure Mainers (1 in 8 people and 1 in 6 children in Maine face hunger), the Biddeford and Mechanics Savings Foundation has committed $49,000 to 12 different organizations within the bank’s local communities. According to the USDA, food insecurity refers to the lack of access to adequate, nutritious food for all household members.
In order to make the most impact, the Foundation has pledged $5,000 to the Good Shepherd Food Bank in Auburn, in addition to $4,000 donations to 11 different organizations across the bank’s footprint:
Biddeford Food Pantry
Community Outreach Services
High Street Food Pantry
Mid Coast Hunger Prevention
Saco Food Pantry
Scarborough Food Pantry
St. Mary’s Nutrition Center
Trinity Jubilee Center
Westbrook Food Pantry
Waterboro Food Pantry
Windham Food Pantry and Clothes Closet
These 12 donations will help feed approximately 49,000 families of three, or the equivalent of 147,000 meals for food insecure Mainers. The Good Shepherd Food Bank and the 11 other hunger relief agencies provide essential services in partnership with food pantries, meal sites, senior and health centers, and schools across all 16 counties in Maine.
“Many Mainers have been hit hard financially as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Wayne Sherman, Chair of the Foundation. “That’s why The Biddeford and Mechanics Savings Foundation is focused on helping those who need it most – food insecure Mainers. We made the decision to spread our resources among 12 food pantries across the state so that we can help as many Mainers as possible to feed themselves and their families.”
About Maine Community Bank
Biddeford Savings and Mechanics Savings have been financial partners with the people of Central and Southern Maine for the past 150 years. To help carry out their commitment to the communities they serve, the two banks merged on January 1, 2020, becoming divisions of Maine Community Bank. The merger expands the lending capacity, product offerings, and branch service areas, while keeping all decision-making at the local level. They have branches in Auburn, Biddeford, Brunswick, Kennebunk, Lewiston, Scarborough, Waterboro, and Windham, with a new branch and operations center in Westbrook.
About the Biddeford and Mechanics Savings Foundation
The Biddeford and Mechanics Savings Charitable Foundation was created in July of 2020 and is structured to give back to the communities in a larger, more enduring way. The Foundation’s mission is to help individuals and families in the bank’s local communities meet their basic needs and achieve financial empowerment.