AUBURN — Good Shepherd Food-Bank recently announced it was awarded a $1 million grant from the Next Generation Foundation of Maine for upgrades to the organization’s Auburn distribution center.

The food bank plans to construct a modern, 115,000-cubic-foot produce storage facility, with multiple zones for varying temperatures and humidity levels.

“We’re a food bank, but we want to focus on becoming the nutrition bank for the state of Maine,” Kristen Miale, president of Good Shepherd Food-Bank, said in a prepared statement. “By working to acquire and distribute more nutritious, perishable food, we can help contribute to a healthier future for the state.”

The project also will include upgrades to the food bank’s current refrigeration systems and roof. The upgraded facility will allow the food bank to store fresh produce in optimal conditions for year-round distribution, according to the statement.

A spokeswoman for the organization said that in 2014 the food bank distributed 4.8 million pounds of produce donated from retailers and 2 million pounds of produce from Maine farmers.

In addition to the funding from Next Generation Foundation, food bank officials said they were awarded a $50,000 grant from the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry and are working to secure an additional $200,000 in labor and additional donations. Total project cost is estimated to be $1.25 million.

The facility upgrades will result in cost savings for the food bank in the form of lowered heating and electricity expenses, according to the organization. Approximately $38,000 annually is expected to be saved. The cold storage facility upgrades are scheduled to be completed by the end of this year.