Maine Hunger Initiative

Maine Hunger Initiative first took action to offset food supply shortages for food pantries in Maine in early 2009, partnering with United Ways and private funders throughout Maine on the Food for Maine project which raised nearly $300,000 to stock pantry shelves across the state. It next developed efficient, client-centered emergency food services at Preble Street, merging with St. Luke's Soup Kitchen and partnering with hundreds of faith groups, civic organizations, businesses, and individuals to operate eight soup kitchens and a food pantry. Its most important task, however, is to bring an end to soup kitchen and pantry lines and to build the capacity of volunteer-run local food pantries, strengthen the emergency food system, create practices and policies to assist hungry Mainers to become more self-sufficient

To end hunger by working to: Make Maine an anti-hunger leader, particularly in child-related food policies such as the availability of stigma-free breakfast and summer meals for all Maine children. Improve access to food and other entitlements that reduce personal poverty and are economic drivers Develop best practices and education/training at points of access (e.g. food pantries, Head Start) throughout the state. Promote policies and funding that benefit both struggling farmers and hungry Maine families, decreasing wasted crops and sustaining local agriculture. Empower people in poverty to increase public awareness of hunger and create solutions.