Food insecurity is a serious issue across the state of Maine. While the pandemic caused shortages on shelves, lack of employment, and a multitude of other problems, many food assistance programs have been able to help hungry Mainers through these challenges. However, as qualifications for government assistance programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), change and the economy continues to present financial hurdles, many Mainers are struggling to meet basic nutritional needs more and more. Feeding America offers great resources and information on food insecurity, both nationally and statewide.

  • In 2021, buoyed by increased support in federal nutrition programs and generous giving by individuals and businesses, we saw the rates of hunger in Maine drop to their lowest level in more than two decades. But recently a troubling trend has emerged: government assistance has been rolled back and contributions to food banks, like Good Shepherd Food Bank, are down; however, more people are visiting food pantries throughout Maine, and they’re visiting more often.
  • The number of people who don’t have enough to eat in Maine has been rising for years—but now, new data shows more than half of those who are deemed food insecure also don’t qualify for SNAP and increasingly have to rely on the emergency food network to get by.

Statistics surrounding the hunger problem facing Maine paint a vivid picture of the issue at hand. Unfortunately, more and more Mainers are struggling to meet basic nutritional needs, and this has drastic effects on multiple other areas of life, including work and/or school productivity, relationship maintenance, physical health and/or medical troubles, mental health, and much more.

  • 13% of Maine’s population is food insecure. This means 1 in 8 Mainers struggle to find room in their household budgets for food.
  • 1 in 5 children are facing hunger.
  • In 2022, Maine was ranked 21st in the nation (tied with two other states) and 1st in New England for household food insecurity.
    • Maine was also ranked 18th in the nation (tied with three other states) and 1st in New England for very low household food security at this time.

Due to higher costs of living and federal funding cuts to programs that support hunger relief organizations, food banks and pantries are seeing an increase in demand for food assistance but are struggling to maintain an adequate supply.

Earlier this year, Feeding America and Good Shepherd Food Bank released new information highlighting the severity of hunger in our communities: 

  • Food insecurity grew from 10.4% in 2020 to 13.8% in 2023 (191,920 people). This resulted in an estimated additional 52,510 people in Maine struggling to find room in their household budgets for food. 
  • All told, one in seven people in Maine experienced food insecurity in 2023, including one in five children (50,610, which is the highest in New England). 

Additionally, Good Shepherd Food Bank provided the following data regarding food insecure populations: 

  • Based on trends in the statewide hunger relief network, Good Shepherd Food Bank expects even higher rates of food insecurity as data from 2024 comes to light, which will reflect the first full year without pandemic-era SNAP benefits. The loss of these benefits, combined with sustained high costs for food, housing, and other essentials, continues to strain household budgets across Maine. 
  • A sampling of community food pantries reported more than a 20% increase in both visits and households served between 2023 and 2024. Some partners have shared even sharper increases anecdotally. 
  • New data released from Feeding America’s annual Map the Meal Gap study in May of 2024 confirms what people in Maine and the statewide hunger relief network have been experiencing over the past two years: increased food costs are contributing to higher rates of food insecurity. 
  • Black, Indigenous, and other households of color are disproportionately impacted by food insecurity, as well as people living alone and single-parent households predominantly led by women. 

How Can You Help?

It does not take much to make a big difference for those in need across our state. The fight against hunger is not solitary; every bit of help gets us collectively closer to ending hunger in Maine. While funding is always needed to support ongoing work to put food into the hands of hungry Mainers, financial donations are not the only way to help end hunger. Volunteering with a local hunger relief organization (such as food banks and pantries, school programs, community programs, soup kitchens, and more) is always extremely rewarding work, as it provides meals for those in need and is work you know will make a difference. Help pack food boxes, sort food, and/or cook meals for those within the community needing a warm plate of food. Alternatively, host a nonperishable food drive and/or collect funds to benefit a food bank or pantry in your area. Similarly, you can also make a difference simply by sharing information with those in your circle on hunger and how to help.

Of course, you can always donate to trusted ending hunger initiatives and organizations, such as our Campaign for Ending Hunger, Good Shepherd Food Bank, Full Plates Full Potential, and any of the ample food banks and pantries across the state. Even a donation of $1 can help provide 2 healthy meals to those in need.