Food insecurity in Massachusetts reached record highs last year, according to a new report.

The Greater Boston Food Bank and Mass General Brigham reveal 40% of households lacked reliable access to enough healthy food while a quarter of families consistently missed meals.

Kathryn Alexander, vice president for external affairs at The Greater Boston Food Bank, said rates of hunger have more than doubled since 2019 as the cost of living continues to soar.

"Hunger exists everywhere," she said, "and we’re really not seeing anybody who is escaping this difficulty."

The state’s charitable food banks continue to serve as a critical safety net, with more than half of food-insecure households depending on them to get by, but Alexander noted that a more than $3 million cut in federal funding has strained the system’s ability to help those in need.

The report found that while participation in food aid programs such as SNAP or WIC also reached record levels, many households said they weren't enough, and families were forced to make difficult tradeoffs between food, housing and health care.

Alexander said charitable groups are asking lawmakers to boost funding for the state’s Emergency Food Assistance Program, expand access to nutrition support programs and invest in local food-system infrastructure.

"The federal government is walking away from anti-hunger policies at a time where more and more people are struggling to keep up with the cost of living," she said, "and so it’s the time for Massachusetts to continue leading."

Food insecurity among school-age children rose to 37% compared with 33% in 2024 but Alexander notes that figure would be higher without the state’s universal school meals program. The report notes the data was collected prior to the enactment of new SNAP work requirements and eligibility rules, which could increase reliance on the state’s food banks in 2026.

Source: Public News Service