Good Shepherd lands $100,000 donation from BJ’s
File Photo / William Trevaskis
Kristen Miale, president of Good Shepherd Food Bank, Maine's largest food provider. She's pictured in the food bank's Auburn warehouse.
Good Shepherd Food Bank will receive a $100,000 donation from the BJ’s Charitable Foundation.
BJ’s Wholesale Club, which announced the donation, said the gift will help the food bank’s partners expand their capacity to store and distribute fresh, health food in Maine.
Overall, the charitable foundation donated $1 million to nine Feeding America partners. It’s the foundation’s largest donation to date.
“BJ’s is bringing a fresh approach to nourishing communities and helping families thrive, and we’re proud to support Good Shepherd Food Bank,” said Kirk Saville, executive director of the BJ’s Charitable Foundation. “No one should have to worry about where to get their next meal, and we know that food banks face challenges in storing and distributing perishable foods. Our strategic partnership with Feeding America is focused on building capacity for fresh food at local food banks so we can work together to put an end to hunger in our communities.”
With BJ’s $100,000 grant, Good Shepherd Food Bank will purchase a refrigerated box truck for its partner, Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program, increasing the volume of its perishable food distribution by 40%. Additionally, Good Shepherd Food Bank will use BJ’s grant to expand its agency partners’ cold storage capacity, which will allow significantly greater amounts of food to be donated and distributed in high-need areas.
Last year, Auburn-based Good Shepherd Food Bank distributed 21 million meals through its network of 400 partner agencies to approximately 178,000 Mainers in need. Good Shepherd Food Bank is the largest hunger relief organization in the state, reaching from York County to Bangor to Aroostook County.
“At Good Shepherd Food Bank, we strive to eliminate hunger in Maine by sourcing and distributing nutritious food to our neighbors in need with the help of valuable community and local partners like BJ’s,” said Kristen Miale, president of Good Shepherd and a 2015 Mainebiz Women to Watch honoree. “Because of BJ’s generous donation, Good Shepherd Food Bank will be able to distribute more nutritious food to adults, children and seniors across the entire state.”
BJ’s Wholesale Club, which is based in Westborough, Mass., has 215 club stores and 132 BJ’s Gas locations in 16 states. BJ's is wholly owned by affiliates of Leonard Green & Partners, CVC Capital Partners and its management team.
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