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Massachusetts Emergency Food Assistance Program

The Massachusetts Emergency Food Assistance Program (MEFAP) enables the Food Bank Coalition of Massachusetts – The Greater Boston Food Bank, The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, The Merrimack Valley Food Bank, and The Worcester County Food Bank — to purchase a consistent supply of the basics of a healthy diet, such as milk, eggs, peanut butter, fresh fruits, and vegetables, to be distributed at no cost to families in need through its statewide network of 850 community food program partners. MEFAP feeds people in all 351 cities and towns in MA. Learn how you can help support MEFAP.

MEFAP Produce
FY23 MEFAP Produce

About MEFAP

  • MEFAP stimulates our local economy. In FY23, 51% of MEFAP funds supported Massachusetts farmers, fisheries, food manufacturers and producers.  
  • 99.1% of MEFAP purchased food meets the four Massachusetts food banks’ high nutritional standards. 
  • MEFAP enables the four MA food banks to provide food to every district through over 850 food programs across the state. 
  • MEFAP-distributed food represented 23% of the overall total pounds distributed by the four Massachusetts food banks in FY23, or 25,191,218 meals.  

MEFAP is administered by GBFB on behalf of the four food banks. Learn more about MEFAP in the MEFAP FY22 Annual Report. 

Read about our 2023 MEFAP Roadshow here. 

Legislators, hunger-relief advocates, and agriculturalists from around the state gather among rows of rhubarb for the MEFAP roadshow stop at MEFAP vendor McKinstry Farms in Chicopee, MA.
GBFB-Teddie-Peanut-Butter-Company-Tour
Teddie Peanut Butter COO Jamie Hintlian, MDAR Program Coordinator Rose Arruda, GBFB COO Cheryl Schondek on a tour of the Teddie Peanut Butter factory, a MEFAP vendor in Everett, MA.

 

Call to Action

The Food Bank Coalition of Massachusetts are advocating for $47M in MEFAP funding in the FY25 state budget. Collectively, the food banks have experienced a rise in neighbors needing food assistance from our agency partners from October 2022 to September 2023 as cost of living and income inequality continue to make it hard for people to afford food. $47M would allow the food banks to distribute an additional 14 million meals to those in need. The Massachusetts food banks are grateful for the Commonwealth’s commitment to this powerful program. 

Call or email your State Representative and State Senator to ask that they include $47M for MEFAP in their top 5 FY25 state budget recommendations! Use this email template and call script or talking points for guidance. 

How to Advocate for MEFAP:

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