Good Sheperd Food Bank
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The mission of Good Shepherd Food Bank is to eliminate hunger in Maine by improving access to nutritious and culturally relevant food for people in need, building strong community partnerships, and mobilizing the public in the fight to end hunger.
- Income
- $104.5 million
- Spending
- $107.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 96%
- Reserves
- 3.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 71%
- Employees
- 96
- Volunteers
- 990
- Highest pay
- $225,537, president
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 69% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, over $100m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 5% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 3% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 5% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1595% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 8% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, over $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2520 of 20 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Reports results. Its tax return states measurable results. These are its own figures and nobody has checked them.
Results it reports
- Distributed over 50 million pounds of food to partners and the people they serve.Work delivered
- Provided 42 million meals for Mainers in need.Work delivered
- Distributed food to more than 600 partners across Maine.Work delivered
- Distributed nearly 2.6 million pounds of local foods.Work delivered
- Provided almost 2 million meals statewide through School Partners, with more than 230 program partners.Work delivered
- Cooking Matters offered 229 educational opportunities including classes and tours.Work delivered
- Cooking Matters reached approximately 2,300 participants.Work delivered
- Worked with 150 partners to provide over 1.3 million meals to people who screened positive for food insecurity.Work delivered
Read from the return by an AI model and shown only where the wording was found in the return. These are the charity's own figures.
Programs described in its return (4)
- $97.5 million spent. Food Distribution: Good Shepherd Food Bank (GSFB) provides for those at risk of hunger by soliciting food donations and purchasing food at wholesale prices, then distributing this food to more than 600 partners across Maine, including food pantries, meal sites, shelters, schools, afterschool programs, child care centers, senior centers, health care sites, and other community organizations. In its 2025 fiscal year, GSFB distributed over 50 million pounds of food to partners and the families and individuals they serve, providing 42 million meals for Mainers in need.
- $1.9 million spent. Mainers Feeding Mainers: this program is the Food Bank's collaboration with local farms to purchase and distribute nutritious, Maine-grown food. Each year, the Food Bank makes purchases of fresh Maine vegetables, fruits, grains, and dairy products on behalf of partner agencies. The Food Bank also receives donations from many local farmers. In fiscal year 2025, the Food Bank distributed nearly 2.6 million pounds of local foods and invested $1.7 million into Maine's agricultural sector.
- $1.2 million spent. Good Shepherd Food Bank supports the School Pantry Program to provide easy, consistent access to nutritious food for students and their families. Our school partners not only serve as food distribution sites in vulnerable areas but also function as vital community resource hubs where families feel welcomed, supported, and safe. The Food Bank also operates Kids Cafe, an afterschool meal and snack program. In collaboration with more than 230 program partners, GSFB provided almost 2 million meals statewide through School Partners in fiscal year 2025.
- $2.1 million spent. Good Shepherd Food Bank engages in many other activities that are important to its mission. The most significant of these other program service accomplishments are as follows: Cooking Matters Maine: An outreach program that mobilizes culinary and nutrition professionals to teach cooking and nutrition classes to low-income adults, teens, and children. Classes are taught at local community centers, schools, and food pantries, and the classes provide people at risk of hunger with hands-on cooking and nutrition experience. In fiscal year 2025, the program offered 229 educational opportunities including classes and tours, reaching approximately 2,300 participants. Farm Fresh Rewards: The Food Bank partners with 14 Maine grocers to offer shoppers using SNAP/EBT discounts on fresh, frozen, and dried local fruits and vegetables grown in Maine that contain no added salt, sugars, or fats, as well as local food-producing seeds or seedlings.Community Health & Hunger: The Food Bank forms partnerships with health care organizations to reduce the negative impact of food insecurity on health outcomes. Through this program, the Food Bank provides training and technical assistance for health care providers implementing food insecurity screening and referral protocols and supports projects that distribute food directly in clinical settings for patients in need. In fiscal year 2025, the Food Bank worked with 150 partners to provide over 1.3 million meals to people who screened positive for food insecurity.In accordance with IRS Instructions, the total amount of program service expenses, grants, and revenues reported on this Form 990, Part III, Line 4d, and on this Schedule O footnote, are therefore inclusive of all the above-detailed program service accomplishments for the period covered by this Form 990 tax return.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since September 1989.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.