Massachusetts Emergency Food Assistance Program

The Massachusetts Emergency Food Assistance Program (MEFAP) provides critical funding to the four Massachusetts food banks—The Merrimack Valley Food Bank, The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, The Greater Boston Food Bank, and the Worcester County Food Bank.

MEFAP enables the food banks 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 to families in need.

• MEFAP has stimulated our local economy, as evidenced by 47% of the vendors used being Massachusetts-based and 39% of our MEFAP food dollars being spent on MassGrown farmers, wholesalers, or manufacturers based in the state.
• We’ve also increased MassGrown purchasing from over 40 farms by 53%.
• We have initiated a partnership with the Massachusetts seafood industry during the past year due to the increase in MEFAP funding in Fiscal Years 21 and 22.  

The FY23 budget process officially kicks off this month with the release of Governor Baker’s House 1 budget proposal. We are advocating for level funding of MEFAP at $30 million to continue to serve our food insecure neighbors in need and support local Massachusetts farmers and growers.