People who have enough nutritious food are healthier and better able to thrive at home, in their communities, and at work. But today, many Mainers go without the healthy food they need.
Food insecurity is both a function and a driver of economic insecurity. Families in precarious economic situations are more likely to go hungry. That hunger makes it harder to gain a more secure foothold in the economy. No group of Mainers is immune from this cycle, but people of color, single-parents, and families with children are at an even higher risk of getting stuck in the loop.
Policy plays a big role in determining whether Mainers go hungry. Policymakers can make it easier for food-insecure households to get nutrition assistance and prioritize policies that make it easier for Mainers to make a living.
Here is a collection of information and other resources related to hunger in Maine:
Research and Analysis
- MECEP Issue Brief: Food Insecurity in Maine: In this issue brief, MECEP policy analyst James Myall examines food insecurity in Maine — its extent, causes, and effects — and reveal how ensuring every Mainer has enough healthy food would be more affordable than the status quo.
- Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: Food Assistance: The CBPP is a nonpartisan research and policy institute focused on reducing poverty and inequality, with a large body of work focused on food insecurity and potential policy solutions.
Nutrition Resources
- Apply for food assistance: Apply online for Maine’s general assistance programs, including SNAP.
- Find a hunger relief agency near you: Find food at hunger relief agencies throughout Maine using Good Shepherd Food Bank’s interactive map.
- Important information for people who get food supplement benefits: Stay up to date on changes to SNAP and important developments in food assistance.
- Backpack program: The Backpack Program provides children with healthy, easy-to-prepare food during weekends and school vacations, when the school meals they rely on are unavailable.
Get Involved
- Volunteer at Good Shepherd Food Bank: Help sort and inspect donations, assist with nutrition education, or pack food for families in need.
- Maine Hunger Initiative: Learn about Preble Street’s program to meet immediate food needs, offset food supply shortages, and develop long-term solutions to hunger.
- Full Plates Full Potential: Join the organization working to end child hunger in Maine by connecting kids to effective nutrition programs like school breakfast, lunch, summer meals, and more.
