Officials at the Good Shepherd Food Bank are looking ahead cautiously to the new year, fearing a potentially drastic rise in need as the economy continues to suffer and Maine’s long winter sets in.

“It can happen very quickly that the demand goes up and we have access to less food,” said Rick Smalls, executive director of the state’s largest food bank, based in Auburn. “It’s a chancy situation that we’re trying very hard to control.”

Smalls said donations were good in December, allowing the food bank to maintain a strong supply of food to the local agencies it supplies.

“We’re never meeting the need, the entire need is twice what we’re doing,” he said. “But we’re doing OK.”

Corporate donations increased at the end of the year in particular, Smalls said.

“Many of them are looking at their last fiscal quarter and are able to expend some of their charitable funds,” he said.

But Smalls fears what the new year might bring.

“It’s hard to judge what’s going to come,” he said. “We went from about 143,000 people needing food last year at about this time and this year it’s 154,000.” Approximately 12 percent of Maine’s population is considered hungry, according to the latest U.S. Census data.

“Now, I don’t know of anybody starving to death to be honest,” Smalls said. “But if the donations slow down, then we’ve got a much bigger problem.”

Those interested in volunteering at the Good Shepherd Food Bank in Auburn can call 782-3554 or stop by the 3121 Hotel Road facility during regular hours.

– Rebekah Metzler