Ending hunger in Maine
To the Editor;
In communities throughout Maine, many are confronted with the painful daily reality of not being able to access enough food for themselves and their families.
Maureen Terry is now serving as legislative liaison and communications for the Department of Economic and Community Development. When she was House Majority Leader she sponsored Maine’s LD1046 Hunger Prevention Act that passed in July 2021. I was honored to be the lead citizen advocate for that bill. At that time Rep. Terry reported that nearly 1 in 10 people in our state were currently experiencing hunger, including 1 out of every 6 children. The stats are worse today. Maine holds the highest rate in child food insecurity, and second highest rate of overall food insecurity in New England, according to Feeding America’s study: Hunger & Poverty in the United States | Map the Meal Gap.
There are ways to help: 1. Donate to your local food pantry. 2. Volunteer at a local program that helps feed people. 3. File your taxes!
Mainers have an opportunity to help with efforts to end food insecurity simply by checking a box on their state income tax form or letting their accountant know of their wish to do so and at what level.
There’s an option on Form 1040ME for taxpayers to donate a portion of their refund to support The Emergency Food Assistance Program Fund (or to respond to a request to mail in the amount if no refund is owed to the taxpayer.) Just select an amount on line 8 of Schedule CP of Form 1040ME.
A sample form can be found at 25_1040me_sch_cp_fillable.pdf.
If every Maine income tax filer donates $5 or more, we can finally end hunger in Maine. TEFAP provides emergency food assistance for low-income folks at no cost, supporting our most vulnerable and helping to create a hunger-free Maine for future generations.
Please consider helping to end food insecurity in your area but also in the whole state! Funds are distributed by Maine’s Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to any non-profit organization, large or small, that addresses this urgent humanitarian issue.
Sara Lambert Bloom
Biddeford