Before the Great Recession, about 13 million households in the United States experienced food insecurity, meaning that at times during the year, there was not enough food to feed everyone at home due to financial hardship. After the economy collapsed in 2007, that number increased to over 17 million.
What’s worse, during the recession, two million more households started experiencing very low food security, meaning family members were often forced to skip meals and not eat for entire days due to a lack of resources. Last year, for the first time since the recession, the percentage of households in America suffering from food insecurity returned to roughly where it was before the financial collapse.
However, Maine is still lagging behind. The percentage of households in our state experiencing very low food security in 2018 was double what it was in 2002, and more people are going hungry in Maine than any other New England state. Nationwide, Maine is ranked as the seventh most food insecure state in the country.
These figures, reported by the USDA’s Economic Research Service, reveal a distressing problem that many Mainers have seen in their own communities. Here in Gorham, Heather Whitaker observed this issue firsthand among her students and took action. On Oct. 1, the Gorham School Department was awarded a $25,000 State Farm Neighborhood Assist grant to support the BackPack Program that Whitaker, an alternative teacher at Gorham Middle School, cofounded with Jennifer Baker to feed students when they are not in school. Whitaker also oversees a school garden that supplies the Gorham Food Pantry with fresh produce and coordinates a team of student volunteers to distribute food over weekends and vacations.
Earlier this month, the Maine Department of Education named Whitaker the 2020 Teacher of the Year. Her powerful dedication to her students, both in and outside of the classroom, compelled her to start the BackPack Program. In addition to feeding students in need, the BackPack Program has also encouraged more Gorham students to volunteer and give back to their community, educating many of our young people about the serious and pressing issue of food insecurity in Maine.
Unfortunately, we may soon have even more need for the BackPack Program due to a Trump administration proposal that could end food stamp benefits for 44,000 Mainers. The Mills administration estimates that this proposal will harm 27% of Maine residents who now receive food assistance, and the Maine Department of Health and Human Services stated that almost half of those receiving food assistance are children, older Mainers or people with disabilities.
If this harmful proposal goes into effect, more people in Gorham will find themselves having to skip meals and go entire days without eating. Research has shown us that when students are hungry, their academic performance drops as well. If we want to give all kids in Gorham a chance at academic success, we need to make sure that their families have enough food at the table.
Suffice it to say, the BackPack Program needs all of our support. To volunteer or donate to the elementary schools, you can reach out to Jennifer Baker at jennifer.baker@gorhamschools.org, 222-1300. To volunteer or donate to the middle and high school, you can reach out to Heather Whitaker at heather.whitaker@gorhamschool.org, 222-1338.
Rep. Maureen “Mo” Terry is serving her second term in the Maine House of Representatives. She is a chef and small business owner with more than 25 years of experience in the food service industry. She serves on the Taxation Committee. (207) 712-9735, (800) 423-2900, maureen.terry@legislature.maine.gov.