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With the holiday season upon us, the Campaign for Ending Hunger Holiday Meals for Mainers initiative is officially underway for 2024. Running from now until December 26, this effort encourages people to provide the gift of a holiday meal to someone in need during this season of giving. Raising critical funds for those struggling with the harsh realities of food insecurity also offers the opportunity to simultaneously generate awareness about hunger and the difficulties many individuals and families face due to limited resources.
Hunger is a prevalent problem for Mainers. As we enter the colder months when heating bills and other expenses can increase, many Mainers will struggle even more with obtaining the healthy, nutritious food they need to survive and thrive. With government programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) becoming harder to qualify for, more and more individuals rely on the crucial services provided by food pantries. These pantries are struggling to keep up with the increasing demand—and they need your help!
- 13% of Maine’s population is food insecure, meaning 1 in 8 Mainers—including 1 in 5 children—struggle to obtain nutritious food.
- In 2022, Maine was ranked 21st in the nation (tied with two other states) and 1st in New England for household food insecurity.
- Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap study that was released in May of 2024 confirms what Maine’s hunger relief network has seen in recent years: rising food costs are contributing to higher rates of food insecurity.
- 100% of United States counties have food insecurity.
The Campaign is dedicated to combatting hunger in our communities. Together, we can make a difference and make the season brighter for our neighbors in need.
To assist with your fundraising and awareness efforts, the League has developed materials to make it easy for you to get involved. Please visit our website to copy, paste, and customize any of the draft messages and right click on the images to download the graphics. We will also be engaging on Giving Tuesday, which is a perfect time to fundraise for the Campaign or for another initiative your credit union is promoting, on December 3.
Please reach out to Jen Burke and Lauren Simonds (McCallum) with any questions about Holiday Meals for Mainers or Giving Tuesday.