In communities throughout Maine, many are confronted with the painful daily reality of not being able to access enough food for themselves and their families.
House Majority Leader Maureen Terry, the Sponsor of Maine’s LD1046 Hunger Prevention Act passed in July 2021, reports that nearly 1 in 10 people in our state are currently experiencing hunger, including 1 out of every 6 children.
There are ways to help: 1. Donate to your local food pantry. 2. Volunteer at a local program that helps feed people. 3. FILE YOUR TAXES!
Now, Mainers have a new opportunity to help efforts to end food insecurity by simply checking a box on their state tax forms.
For the first time, there’s an option on Form 1040ME for taxpayers to donate a portion of their refund to support the Emergency Food Assistance Program Fund (or to respond to a request to mail in the amount if no refund is owed to the taxpayer.) Just select an amount on line 8 of Schedule CP of Form 1040ME. (Editor’s note: not all individuals filing their taxes will see this form; a sample PDF may be viewed at the link below.) TEFAP provides emergency food assistance for low-income folks at no cost, supporting our most vulnerable and helping to create a hunger-free Maine for future generations.
A sample form can be downloaded by clicking this Maine.gov link.
Additionally, you can learn more about the program at www.maine.gov/dacf/ard/tefap/
If every Maine income tax filer donates $5, we can finally end hunger in Maine.
Help end food insecurity for the whole state!
Sara Lambert Bloom
Biddeford, Maine
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