Hunger on the Rise: What the Latest Massachusetts Food Access Report Tells Us

/in

And a heartfelt thank you to everyone working to make a difference.

Each year, the Greater Boston Food Bank, in collaboration with Mass General Brigham, releases its Annual Massachusetts Food Access Report. The 6th edition, titled “Hunger on the Rise,” paints a clear and sobering picture of where our Commonwealth stands when it comes to food security. We wanted to share the highlights with you, because staying informed is one of

The Numbers Are Hard to Ignore

Let’s start with the big picture. Back in 2019, roughly 1 in 5 Massachusetts households; about 19%, were experiencing food insecurity. By 2025, that number has climbed to 40%. That means nearly 4 in 10 households across the state are struggling to reliably put food on the table.

Even more concerning is the rise in very low food security, the most severe form, where hunger is an everyday reality. That rate has more than quadrupled, jumping from 6% in 2019 to 25% in 2025.

These aren’t just statistics. These are our neighbors, coworkers, fellow parents at school pickup, and members of our faith communities.

It’s Happening Everywhere, But Not Equally

Food insecurity is touching every corner of Massachusetts, though some regions are feeling the pressure more acutely than others. Here’s a snapshot of food insecurity rates by county in 2025:

  • Hampden County leads at 53%
  • Franklin & Hampshire at 48%
  • Suffolk County at 46%
  • Essex County at 43%, up 9% from last year
  • Worcester County at 42%
  • Bristol County at 44%
  • Plymouth County at 40%, up 10% from last year
  • Middlesex County at 35%, up 11%
  • Norfolk County at 30%, up 7%
  • Berkshire County at 38%
  • Barnstable, Dukes & Nantucket at 26%

What’s driving this? Rising costs, ongoing economic instability, and shifts in federal policy have all played a role. The gap between the need for food assistance and the availability of support continues to widen — a reflection of structural underinvestment in the very systems designed to prevent hunger.

Programs Are Helping, But They’re Not Enough

Here’s something important to understand: assistance programs are making a difference. People are using them in record numbers, and they’re grateful for the help. But even with those programs in place, many households still fall short.

Some facts from the 2025 data that really stand out:

  • 92% of SNAP participants say benefits helped their household — but 75% of those same families still need additional food support beyond what SNAP provides.
  • 56% of households rely on community food programs like food pantries, mobile markets, or community meals.
  • 80% of households with children used free school and/or summer meal programs.
  • 86% of WIC participants felt the program helped their family.
  • 32% of MassHealth households received nutrition services like home-delivered meals or food boxes — improving health outcomes and lowering healthcare costs in the process.

The takeaway is clear: these programs work, and they matter deeply to the people who use them. But the scale of need has outgrown the current capacity to respond.

What Needs to Happen Next

The report doesn’t just identify the problem, it calls for action. Here are the key recommendations they put forward:

1. Strengthen Government Food and Nutrition Programs This includes increasing the state’s investment in the Massachusetts Emergency Food Assistance Program (MEFAP) to $58 million, and adding $30 million in funding to the Department of Transitional Assistance to better support SNAP access.

2. Advance Food Security Through Healthcare Investing in coordinated navigation services to help people enroll in nutrition programs, and expanding “Food is Medicine” initiatives that use food to prevent and treat diet-related illness.

3. Expand Access to Affordable, Locally Produced Foods Supporting local food systems through programs like MEFAP, Food Security Infrastructure Grants (FSIG), and the Healthy Incentives Program (HIP) to make nutritious, Massachusetts-grown food more accessible.

4. Invest in Community Infrastructure Building stronger community networks and ensuring that the safety net is dignified and community-centered.

5. Address Root Causes Taking sustained, systems-level action at both the state and federal levels to dismantle the structural inequities that produce food insecurity in the first place.

A Word of Gratitude

To everyone who volunteers at a food pantry, donates to a food bank, advocates for policy change, runs a mobile market, works at a school meal program, or simply checks in on a neighbor – thank you. Genuinely and deeply, thank you.

The people doing this work every day, often quietly, often without recognition, are the reason thousands of families across Massachusetts have a meal tonight. Your efforts matter more than you may ever fully know.

As one parent from Worcester County shared in the report:

“Food isn’t a luxury; it is a necessity. No one should be struggling to feed themselves or their children. No one should have to choose between essentials like bills, gas, and medicine and putting food on the table.”

That’s a sentiment worth carrying with us. Whether you’re in a position to give time, donations, advocacy, or simply awareness, every contribution helps move the needle, and it greatly appreciated.

Stay Connected and Get Involved

If you’d like to learn more or get involved, we encourage you to read the full Hunger on the Rise Report from the Greater Boston Food Bank and Mass General Brigham’s Takeda Center for Community Health & Nutrition. You can also reach out to local food banks, pantries, and community organizations in your area to find out how to help.

Together, we can work toward a Massachusetts where no one has to go hungry.

Sources: The 6th Annual Massachusetts Food Access Report — “Hunger on the Rise,” Greater Boston Food Bank in collaboration with Mass General Brigham.