Food Insecurity Concerns Intensify for Middleboro Residents

A food access forum held in Middleboro on Thursday, Oct. 23, highlighted rising food insecurity among community members, driven by federal budget cuts and the ongoing government shutdown.

The recent government shutdown has jeopardized funding for federal programs like SNAP, putting benefits at risk for Massachusetts residents in November.

During the forum held at First Unitarian Universalist Church, experts discussed how federal policies, including recent changes under the Trump administration, have tightened SNAP qualification criteria and increased work requirements.

“I know things might feel a little uncertain and scary with the changes at the federal level right now, but I want to frame this as we have a lot more collective resources than we do alone,” said Kat Kowalski, a policy systems and environment specialist at the University of Massachusetts, in a statement shared with NesmasketWeektoday.com.

According to experts, approximately 28% of families in Middleboro are food-insecure. David Cunningham, director of the Sacred Heart Food Pantry, said the pantry sees about 300 families each month for food assistance.

Liz Wiley, the executive director of the Marion Institute, said her organization promotes a holistic approach to food security, focusing on nutritious food access through programs like the Healthy Incentives Program for fresh produce.

The Marion Institute, she said, advocates for health equity, including access to nutritious food. 

“One thing the Marion Institute does a little bit differently is that we're trying to focus on this from a lens of nutrition security,” Wiley said. “I think food insecurity is one thing — and yes, we need to feed people and put food into people's bellies, but we also need to think about the quality of the food that we're putting into people's bodies.”

Meg Riley, Plymouth County's agricultural extension educator, emphasized that long-term solutions are needed to address the issues facing SNAP benefits. She warned against relying solely on ad hoc measures for farmers and SNAP recipients, urging continued advocacy regardless of political shifts.

“Agriculture and the ability to protect our national security by having enough food to feed people is so beyond politics,” she said.