Press Releases

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree said today that Shaw's Supermarkets in New England will be resuming their Fresh Rescue program to donate food to food pantries throughout the region.  Pingree wrote to Shaw’s last winter after learning that food pantries in Maine had lost access to the donations when the program was ended.  Pingree urged the company to consider the impact that ending the program was having on feeding programs around Maine.

You can read the letter from Shaw's to Congresswoman Pingree here.

"I'm thrilled to hear that Shaw's is resuming their donation program," Pingree said.  "I know the company is committed to the community and has supported programs that help feed hungry families for years, but the loss of direct food donations hit some pantries hard.  When we pointed that out to Shaw’s they reacted quickly and did the right thing."

The company is partnering with Feeding America to distribute the donations, and will start rolling out the program with stores in Massachusetts and Maine.  Once those programs are up and running, the company will start the program in New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.  

In Maine, Shaw’s is partnering with Good Shepherd Food Bank to distribute donated food to food pantries across the state.

Good Shepherd Food Bank President Kristen Miale welcomed the news that Shaw's would be resuming their food donation program.

"The Shaw's Fresh Rescue program will have tremendous positive impact on food pantries across Maine," Miale said. "We are so appreciative of Congresswoman Pingree’s leadership on this issue of hunger relief efforts in our state."

Pingree has become a national leader on the issue of food waste, and last year introduced the Food Recovery Act, a comprehensive bill aimed at reducing the amount of food that goes to waste every year in the United States.