ORONO — One in seven Mainers are facing food insecurity, according to the latest data from the hunger-relief organization Feeding America.

That’s why University of Maine students come together each year for the Maine Day Meal Packout, a student-led effort to box up meals for those in need.

“Maine is a tight-knit state, and we all know a hungry neighbor in need, so this is a solution to help bridge that gap,” said Ruth Griffith, fundraising coordinator and student coordinator for the event. Griffith is also the UMaine Class of 2026 Valedictorian.

This year, hundreds of students and community members packed 80,000 meals, a sharp increase from the 53,000 meals packed last year. 

“Usually every year, there are some [food pantries] that say we need as many [meals] as possible. But this year, that amount pretty much doubled,” said Mackenzie Jones, an outreach coordinator for the Maine Day Meal Packet and a third-year UMaine student. “So, the need has definitely increased and we’re just trying to raise as much money as we can to meet that need.”

UMaine Honors College students raised $40,000 to pay for those meals through bake sales, getting donations, grants and partnerships with other organizations. 

Then, they partnered with Outreach New England, which buys bulk quantities of the food. This year’s meals include apple cinnamon oatmeal and Spanish rice.

“The university raises the money; we bring the stuff. We help them pack it,” said Matthew Martin of the Outreach Program. 

The boxes go to food pantries across the state, which then distribute them to Mainers in need.

Members of the food banks we spoke with said the boxes are a lifeline for those struggling with inflation and changes to federal food assistance programs.

“Our costs are going up on one end. And on the other hand, our shoppers, our neighbors, are being impacted,” said Max Dietshe, a member of the board of trustees for the Ellsworth Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry. “Plus, you’ve probably noticed that food prices are going up. So, it’s like a triple whammy.”

And that can lead to difficult decisions, Dietshe added. 

“It’s a question of: ‘Am I going to pay the light bill, or pay for gas, or pay for groceries?’ And it is not getting better,” he said.

According to the university, the project originated as a challenge in 2017 called the “Hungry 100k,” but rebranded in 2018.

The meals packed at this year’s event will mark 800,000 meals packed since the initiative first began.

This year, organizers say they’ve seen the most demand from the Machias region, but the need for food has simply gone up across the board. 

“They always have the most need, so we try to get as many to them as possible,” said Jones. “But I think right now with food insecurity so high, all areas are needing more than they have, historically.”

Roughly 500 volunteers took part in the meal packout this year.

“I think an event like this really speaks to the heart of Maine,” said Jones. “Even when times are hard people will still be there to help one another.”