AUBURN – Last year dozens of volunteers helped Good Shepherd Food-Bank with its gleaning program, the Many Hands Harvest Initiative, to get fresh, nutritious and locally grown produce on the tables of those in need in Maine.

This year, the food bank is expanding its gleaning program to engage communities and farmers to deliver fresh food to Mainers in need.

An ancient practice of hand-gathering crops remaining in fields after harvest, gleaning reduces waste and provides nutritious produce. A variety of programs were awarded grants up to $2,000 by the food bank to grow fresh produce for needy families or to donate to local food pantries affiliated with Good Shepherd Food-Bank.

This year’s Many Hands Harvest Initiative grant recipients include the Bryant Pond 4-H Camp and Learning Center, Durham Community Garden, Western Maine CAP Seeds of Life Garden Program and Lots to Gardens, Lewiston.

Last year the food bank gathered more than 11,000 pounds of corn, green beans, apples, broccoli, and other greens for free. The initiative aims to nurture sustainable relationships between local farms and the food bank’s network of more than 600 partner agencies serving every county in Maine.