MAINE’S CHILD HUNGER CRISIS FOCUS OF LAWMAKERS AND ADVOCATES IN AUGUSTA
Panel tasked with creating plan to improve access to food for hungry children
AUGUSTA–The Task Force to End Student Hunger convened yesterday in Augusta for its first of five meetings focused on developing a multi-year plan to improve access to food for students and end child hunger in Maine.
During today’s meeting, the panel focused on gaining an understanding of the scope of hunger among school-aged children in Maine and the numerous programs and agencies involved in providing meals to Maine’s students.
“The reality is that student hunger connects every part of our state. It is a Maine problem,” said Senate President Justin Alfond of Portland, who serves as the co-chair of the task force. “If we want our students to be successful then we must improve the reality that almost one in four school-aged children in Maine is hungry.”
Maine is currently third in the nation for food insecurity, and first in New England. There are more than 83,000 students in Maine who are food insecure. According to the Maine Hunger Initiative, an estimated 52% of students who qualify for free-and-reduced price meals participate in school breakfast programs.
“Studies show that children who are hungry have higher instances of attention, focus, behavior, and attendance issues. As sad as this is, we can determine based on that which children are likely to graduate and which are not,” said House Co-Chair Representative Tori Kornfield of Bangor. “Feeding these children is an economic imperative and a moral imperative.”
The Task Force, comprised of legislators, state department officials, food service providers, non-profits, and parents from across Maine, is expected to travel to areas outside Augusta in its next few meetings to see and hear from a broader perspective of Maine people and programs. The task force will submit a report with recommendations, including possible legislation, by the end of this year.
The seventeen-member Task Force was created with the passage of LD 1819 “Resolve, To Create the Task Force To End Student Hunger in Maine” sponsored by Senate President Justin Alfond. Senator Alfond’s focus on this issue is a continuation of past legislative work including LD 1353 “An Act to Further Reduce Student Hunger” which the 126thLegislature passed over Governor LePage’s veto.
The Task Force is scheduled to meet again on August 11 at 9:30a.m.
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The Task Force to End Student Hunger includes:
Justin Alfond, Senate President, D-Portland
Tori Kornfield, State Representative, D-Bangor
Rebecca Millett, State Senator D-Cape Elizabeth
Brian Langley, State Senator R-Ellsworth
Helen Rankin, State Representative, D-Hiram
Roger Reed State Representative, R-Carmel
Russell Black, State Representative, R-Wilton
John Woods, Public Member
Michelle Lamm, Preble Street Resource Center
Rita Furlow, Maine Children’s Alliance
Kristen Maile, Good Shepherd Food Bank
Tiffany Krastins, Public Member
Ron Adams, Portland Schools
Holly Lusk, Governor’s Office
Therese Cahill-Lowe, Department of Health and Human Services
Walter Beasley, Department of Education