Child Hunger in Maine According to Feeding America, 1 in 6 children in Maine face hunger. Kids that don't know when or where their next meal will be. Something that has been an even bigger hurdle during the pandemic with kids not attending school in person. The one place where they're guaranteed a meal or two. Thankfully many programs and efforts were made to assist these kids through the pandemic. Some schools even offer a backpack program for kids to bring home food so they won't go hungry over the weekend.
Stigma Sadly there can be a stigma for students who receive discounted or free lunch at school. One Sanford High School Student told the Sun Journal, "Students were bullied because they were not able to afford school lunch..."