MA Families Facing Food Insecurities Could See Savings of $2,000 Per Year

Massachusetts is still struggling with food insecurity. As a matter of fact, Massachusetts ranks near the top of the list when it comes to families struggling to keep food on the table in their households.

In the Berkshires, I have spoken with folks from local food pantries like the People's Pantry of Great Barrington for example, who are struggling to keep food on the organization's shelves due to the high demand from people who are facing food shortages and are in need of the pantry's assistance. Taking that fact into account combined with operating costs skyrocketing, the People's Pantry was forced to reach out to the community for help in the form of monetary donations. You can learn more by checking out the video below and by going here.

In addition, Sheffield Kiwanis has increased their food drives at the Great Barrington Price Chopper parking lot to three times per year due to the increased need for food in the local community. You can stay up to date with Kiwanis' food drive schedule by going here. These are just a couple of the many examples of families facing food insecurities throughout Massachusetts.

There May Be Some Relief on the Way for Struggling Massachusetts Families 

With all of this in mind, Massachusetts lawmakers want to make free school lunches a permanent fixture. According to Boston 25 News, during the COVID-19 pandemic, some school districts in the Bay State provided free lunch to students, in addition to complimentary breakfast in some communities. If the free school lunch program becomes permanent in schools, struggling families would save approximately $2,000 per year per child.

$2,000 is never something to sneeze at but at a time when families have to choose between food or deciding which bill to pay at any given time, saving $2,000 can make a huge difference. You can get more details on the permanent free lunch proposal by going here.