BIDDEFORD — A newly-formed partnership this year between the University of New England and the Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation will allow for 150,000 meal kits to be distributed across the state as part of the university’s annual “Meals for Maine” hunger relief event.

Volunteers gathered at the university’s Portland and Biddeford campuses to package meal kits that will be delivered across Southern Maine.

“People in Maine have a lot of food insecurity, children, single-family homes, older adults are very vulnerable and don’t know where their next meal is,” said Trisha Mason, founder of Meals for Maine.

Nearly 200,000 Mainers suffer from food insecurity every day, according to statistics from Feeding America.

Before the partnership, Mason said the university was only able to supply food for Southern Maine. Now, they can reach across the state, as far north as Houlton and Presque Isle.

Susan Scacchi, executive director of Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation, said the food packaged at UNE will feed between 36,000 and 37,000 Mainers.