Good Shepherd Food Bank
Good Shepherd Food Bank is a public charity based in Auburn, Maine, established in 1981 to address hunger in Maine. It distributes food through a network of more than 600 organizations across the state and supports food access through community partnerships and grant programs.
Key facts about Good Shepherd Food Bank
In short: Good Shepherd Food Bank gave $4.1M across 139 grants in 2025 (avg $29K), mostly in Maine. 63% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 22-2986809
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $4,085,649
- Grants made (2025)
- 139
- Average grant
- $29,393
- Median grant
- $11,996
- New grantees (estimate)
- 63% first-time grantees (88 of 139, 2025)
- Total assets
- $44,798,037
- Primary geography
- Maine (98% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- Capacity Building Grants are for food pantries and hunger-relief agencies that are partners of Good Shepherd Food Bank. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- Rolling
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$44.8M
-7.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$4.1M
+88.5% YoY
Grant Count
139
+223.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$29K
-41.7% YoY
Is Good Shepherd Food Bank open to new grantees?
63%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 88 of 139 grantees (63%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $21K; repeat grants $43K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $26K repeat.
- 14% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+6%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2021–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
Good Shepherd Food Bank’s mission is to promote food security in Maine by improving access to nutritious and culturally relevant food for people experiencing hunger, building strong community partnerships, and mobilizing the public to address the root causes of hunger.
Its grant programs include capacity-building support for partner food pantries and hunger-relief agencies, and equity-focused funding for organizations working with communities of color, Indigenous peoples, immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. In the Community Redistribution Fund, planning grants support project development, while implementation grants support existing programs involving culturally important foods.
Among the 2025 grantees, Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association describes its mission as supporting equitable access to healthy fisheries and the long-term well-being of community-based fishermen and their communities. Winslow Community Cupboard says it works to eliminate hunger in its community through food, nutrition, self-sufficiency, and hope. Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition describes itself as an immigrant-led organization working to improve conditions for Maine’s immigrants through advocacy, information sharing, and collaboration. Cultivating Community says it works to grow food justice in Greater Portland through education, resources, and opportunities to cultivate and share culturally familiar food.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, Good Shepherd Food Bank reported 139 grants totaling $4,085,649. Grant amounts ranged from $5,017 to $350,000, with a median of $11,996. The listed grant purposes were food distribution programs. Maine recipients received 98% of grant dollars, New York recipients 2%, and Georgia recipients 0%.
The largest reported grants included $350,000 to Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association, $250,616 to Catholic Charities Maine (Caribou Charter), and $239,430 to Winslow Community Cupboard. Other notable awards were $150,000 to Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition, $147,515 to Burlington Food Pantry, $114,514 to Locker Project, $113,161 to Maine Medical Center Hospital Food Pantry, and $96,008 to Penobscot Nation.
The Community Redistribution Fund’s 2024 application cycle offered three planning grants of $7,500 each and 14 implementation grants of $20,000 each. The deadline was November 15, 2024, so that cycle has passed. Its stated eligibility included working exclusively or primarily in Maine, with at least 95% of work taking place there; qualifying organizations also had to meet two of three criteria related to who their programs serve and who leads or makes decisions. The overview required a 501(c)(3) designation or fiscal sponsor, except for tribal governments and applicants applying under tribal governments, and an organizational budget under $2 million for 2023. Individuals were not eligible, and programs requiring participants to donate, volunteer, work, pay dues, or attend religious services before receiving food were ineligible.
Capacity Building Grants for Food Pantry Partners are listed as currently open. They are for Good Shepherd Food Bank partner food pantries and hunger-relief agencies and can support equipment, food-safety improvements, technology, transportation, and other projects that improve capacity to move food into communities.
How to Apply
Capacity Building Grants are for food pantries and hunger-relief agencies that are partners of Good Shepherd Food Bank. The Food Bank’s partnership inquiry process requires organizations seeking partnership to review the guidance for prospective partners, meet the stated eligibility and prerequisite criteria, and submit a partnership inquiry form. Inquiries are reviewed on a rolling basis, and selected organizations are contacted about next steps within 30 days.
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from Good Shepherd Food Bank
Capacity Building Grants (Food Pantry/Partner Agencies)
Good Shepherd Food Bank
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Community Health and Hunger Program - Capacity Building Grants
Good Shepherd Food Bank
Amount
Up to $25,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Community-Driven Strategies to End Hunger Initiative
Good Shepherd Food Bank
Amount
Varies (example: $100,000 awarded to Somerset County cohort)
Deadline
Deadline not published
Ready to take the next step with Good Shepherd Food Bank?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Good Shepherd Food Bank describes its mission and operations as Maine-focused. Its partnership process concerns organizations serving communities with limited food access, and the Community Redistribution Fund required at least 95% of an organization’s work to take place in Maine. In filing year 2025, 98% of grant dollars went to Maine recipients.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 139 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2.2M (2024) to $4.1M (2025). In 2025 it made 139 grants totaling $4.1M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Maine Coast Fishermen's Association ($350K). Together the top 10 received $1.6M.
Grant Size Distribution
555 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 479 grants of 555 (86%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Maine Coast Fishermen's Association Brunswick, ME | Food distribution programs | $350,000 |
| Catholic Charities Maine (Caribou Charter) Caribou, ME | Food distribution programs | $250,616 |
| Winslow Community Cupboard Winslow, ME | Food distribution programs | $239,430 |
| Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition Portland, ME | Food distribution programs | $150,000 |
| Burlington Food Pantry Burlington, ME | Food distribution programs | $147,515 |
| Locker Project South Portland, ME | Food distribution programs | $114,514 |
| Maine Medical Center Hospital Food Pantry Portland, ME | Food distribution programs | $113,161 |
| Penobscot Nation Indian Island, ME | Food distribution programs | $96,008 |
| Sanford School District Sanford, ME | Food distribution programs | $88,252 |
| Bread of Life Food Pantry Candor, NY | Food distribution programs | $85,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grant total | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $44,798,037 | $104,490,942 | $107,576,873 | $4,085,649 | 139 |
| 2024 | $48,213,426 | $99,656,038 | $102,360,072 | $2,167,825 | 43 |
| 2023 | $49,380,877 | $78,671,561 | $85,869,468 | $2,660,891 | 95 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $44,798,037 | $48,213,426 | $49,380,877 |
| Revenue | $104,490,942 | $99,656,038 | $78,671,561 |
| Expenses | $107,576,873 | $102,360,072 | $85,869,468 |
| Net Investment Income | $815,578 | $120,149 | $-321,967 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 28, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 25, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS December 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 22, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 10, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists John Bennett, Tae Chong, Chris Bonacci, Christine Cummings, Michelle Draeger, Peter Forester, Jason Fournier, Whitney Gould-Cookson, Marwa Hassanien, and Dora Ann Mills as directors. The organization’s website identifies Heather Paquette as President.
Good Shepherd Food Bank is led by Matt Chin, President & Harvesting Good since 2022 (on filings since 2021); 5 of 25 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Matt Chin
President & Harvesting Good
Vice President & Supply Chain → President & Harvesting Good, 2022
On filings since 2021
$106K (2021) → $124K (2025)
Heather Paquette
President
On filings since 2024
38 hrs/week
$54K (2024) → $169K (2025)
Scott Maker
Chair
Secretary → Vice Chair, 2023
Vice Chair → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Andrea Sockabasin
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dora Ann Mills
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Frank Pecoraro
Director
Chair → Director, 2023
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jason Fournier
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Bennett
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Peter Forester
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Victoria W Rogers
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marwa Hassanien
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mary Wright
Director & Secretary
Director → Director & Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michelle Draeger
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Odette Perriel
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tae Chong
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Chris Bonacci
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christine Cummings
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Susan Norton
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Whitney Gould-Cookson
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bryan O'Connor
Chief Fiancial Officer
Vice President, Finance & Administrator → Vice President, Finance & Administion, 2023
Vice President, Finance & Administion → Chief Fiancial Officer, 2025
On filings since 2021
37 hrs/week
$107K (2021) → $141K (2025)
George Fox
Chief Supply Chain Officer
Vice President & Supply Chain → Vice President & Supply Chains, 2024
Vice President & Supply Chains → Chief Supply Chain Officer, 2025
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$105K (2022) → $132K (2025)
Nicole Nadeau
Chief People Officer
Vice President, People & Culture → Chief People Officer, 2025
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$115K (2024) → $116K (2025)
Kate Rush
Vice Chair
Director → Secretary, 2023
Secretary → Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Peter Richardson
Treasurer
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bethany Benton
Chief Fiancial Officer
New on the 2025 filing
37 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (13)
- Former: Ben Sprague (2021–2024) — Chair
- Former: Bill Williamson (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Erin Fogg (2021–2024) — Vice President & Development
- Former: Jim Darroch (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: John Nutting (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Kristen Miale (2021–2023) — President
- Former: Michelle Hayes (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Claudette Ndayininahaze (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Dyana Tull (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Barbara Gagne (2021) — Director
- Former: Bruce Daman (2021) — Director
- Former: Christopher Rogers (2021) — Director
- Former: David Reifschneider (2021) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $169K, to Heather Paquette (President). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 1807, Auburn, ME 04211-1807
Phone: (207) 782-3554
Website: https://gsfb.org
Frequently asked questions about Good Shepherd Food Bank
How much does Good Shepherd Food Bank give each year?
Good Shepherd Food Bank gave $4.1M across 139 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $2.2M across 43 grants.
What is Good Shepherd Food Bank's typical grant size?
Good Shepherd Food Bank's median grant in 2025 was $11,996, and its average grant was $29,393, across 139 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Good Shepherd Food Bank that year got $21K on average.
Where does Good Shepherd Food Bank give grants?
Good Shepherd Food Bank gives mostly in Maine: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Portland, ME (8 grants), Lewiston, ME (8 grants), Biddeford, ME (5 grants) and Sanford, ME (4 grants).
Does Good Shepherd Food Bank give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 139 grants with a stated purpose on Good Shepherd Food Bank's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Food distribution programs" (139 grants).
Who are Good Shepherd Food Bank's largest grantees?
Good Shepherd Food Bank's largest 2025 grantees include Maine Coast Fishermen's Association ($350,000), Catholic Charities Maine (Caribou Charter) ($250,616) and Winslow Community Cupboard ($239,430), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 21% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Good Shepherd Food Bank?
Good Shepherd Food Bank reported $44.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $104.5M.
What does Good Shepherd Food Bank fund?
Good Shepherd Food Bank’s mission is to promote food security in Maine by improving access to nutritious and culturally relevant food for people experiencing hunger, building strong community partnerships, and mobilizing the public to address the root causes of hunger. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Good Shepherd Food Bank?
Capacity Building Grants are for food pantries and hunger-relief agencies that are partners of Good Shepherd Food Bank. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Good Shepherd Food Bank's EIN?
Good Shepherd Food Bank's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 22-2986809. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Here's the math on researching Good Shepherd Food Bank by hand.
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