Massachusetts
Mass. food insecurity rate hits 37% in 2025, up from 19% pre-pandemic
More than 2 million adults across Massachusetts, representing over one-third of households, are unable to afford enough food or are uncertain where their next meal will come from, according to a study released Tuesday.
The report paints a dire picture of the persistent problem a significant portion of the state faces — affording basic nutritional essentials. And it comes as state officials warn that Republican lawmakers’ proposed cuts to federal assistance programs could throw further families’ food supply into uncertainty.
The report released by the Greater Boston Food Bank and Mass General Brigham is “a wake-up call for coordinated action across every sector,” Food Bank President and CEO Catherine D’Amato said at a press conference in Revere announcing the report.
“Doing nothing is not an option,” she said. “Hunger is a solvable problem, yet it requires all of us.”
Catherine D’Amato, president and CEO of the Greater Boston Food Bank, listens at an event in Revere announcing a new study on hunger in Massachusetts conducted by the food bank and Mass General Brigham on Tuesday, June 17, 2025.(Will Katcher/MassLive)
Food insecurity ticks up
The rate of state residents who are food insecure rose sharply during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic and has ticked up ever since, according to the study, now in its fifth year.
In a survey of 3,000 Massachusetts adults between November and March, 37% reported being food insecure in the past year, meaning they lacked the financial resources to afford sufficient food.
In 2019, the last full year before the pandemic, 19% of Massachusetts households were food insecure. A year later, that number rose to 30%. It had crept higher, to 34% last year, before rising to 37% this year.
More than 650,000 households, nearly a quarter of those in the state, were also determined to have very low food security, meaning a person in their household had skipped meals for lack of money.
Food insecurity rates rose sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic and have ticked upward since, according to a new study on the state of hunger in Massachusetts.Greater Boston Food Bank-Mass General Brigham food insecurity study
Representing the most severe form of food insecurity, the rate of Massachusetts households falling into that category has quadrupled since the pandemic began five years ago, the study showed.
A third of Massachusetts children are food insecure, though the number has fallen slightly over the last two years, the report showed.
Still, the most severe cases of child food insecurity are back on the rise. After dipping in 2023 from 14% to 11%, the rate of childhood food insecurity rose to 15% last year.
Real people behind the statistics
Behind the report are millions of Massachusetts adults and children struggling to put food on the table, or uncertain where their meals each day may come from.
Among them is Jacqueline Martinez, 54, and the 16-year-old granddaughter she raises in Revere. She said the rising cost of food and other expenses make it ever more difficult to afford the nutritious meals, with fresh produce and protein, that her parents cooked when she was growing up.
“It’s heartbreaking,” Martinez told MassLive on Tuesday.
Rep. Ayanna Pressley recalled recognizing growing up that her own mother was holding back on meals so her daughter had enough to eat, she said Tuesday at the press conference in Revere.
Food insecurity lingers everywhere, hiding in plain sight, she said.
“There is no profile” for hunger, Pressley said. “It can be anybody.”
Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-7th District, speaks at an event in Revere announcing a new study on hunger in Massachusetts conducted by the Greater Boston Food Bank and Mass General Brigham on Tuesday, June 17, 2025.(Will Katcher/MassLive)
Pandemic’s lasting effects are a major cause
The lasting effects of the pandemic likely play a significant role in the hunger crisis, the study indicated. Rising food and housing costs that further strain food budgets also contribute, as does the rollback of social programs that expanded during the pandemic, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, formerly known as food stamps.
Food banks warn they won’t be able to provide enough help to offset the cuts proposed to SNAP, Medicaid and other programs by Congressional Republicans.
In Revere on Tuesday, House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark spoke of women in her district who survive with help from the federal food assistance system. One, a single mother, can afford one meal a day without SNAP. Another single mother runs out of money by the third week of the month, despite working three jobs. SNAP benefits help her make it to the next month, Clark said.
“Hunger is a great injustice of our time,” she said. “It is not abstract or something that we can’t touch or feel. It is physical and it is immediate.”
House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, D-5th District, speaks at an event in Revere announcing a new study on hunger in Massachusetts conducted by the Greater Boston Food Bank and Mass General Brigham on Tuesday, June 17, 2025.(Will Katcher/MassLive)
Hispanic and Black residents hit the worst
More than 60% of Hispanic residents of Massachusetts are food insecure, a rate that has risen from 44% pre-pandemic and remains persistently higher than other demographics.
Food insecurity affected 46% of Black people in Massachusetts last year, the first time since 2020 that the rate had fallen beneath 50%. In 2019, 31% of Black residents were food insecure.
Food insecurity rates are highest among Hispanic and Black residents of Massachusetts, but doubled since 2019 among white and Asian residents, according to a new study on hunger in Massachusetts.Greater Boston Food Bank-Mass General Brigham food insecurity study
Rates of food insecurity also more than doubled among White and Asian people since 2019, rising from about 15% each to 32% last year.
The counties of Western and Central Massachusetts, as well as Bristol County, showed the highest rates of food insecurity in the state. Hampden County led the state, with 54% of residents food insecure.
Food insecurity rates are worst in Western and Central Massachusetts and Bristol County, according to a new study on the state of hunger in Massachusetts.Greater Boston Food Bank-Mass General Brigham food insecurity study
Food insecurity has cascading consequences
The report also indicated rising rates of poor nutrition among food-insecure households, contributing to a litany of other health issues with cascading costs, such as diabetes and heart disease.
Households struggling to afford enough food face tradeoffs between nutrition and other necessities, struggling to keep pace with heat and electricity bills, rent and debt.
“The consequences of hunger ripple far beyond the dinner table,” Dr. Lauren Fiechtner, director of nutrition at Mass General Brigham for Children, said Tuesday in Revere. “Food insecure households are significantly more likely to experience poor nutrition, chronic illness and gaps in routine medical care.”
Dr. Lauren Fiechtner, director of nutrition at Mass General Brigham for
Children, speaks at an event in Revere announcing a new study on hunger in Massachusetts conducted by the Greater Boston Food Bank and Mass General Brigham on Tuesday, June 17, 2025.(Will Katcher/MassLive)
Respondents to the food bank’s survey indicated they would purchase healthier foods and have more freedom to pay other expenses if food costs weren’t as much of a concern.
Food insecurity “is about having the correct food, not just having food,” one man from Hampden County told the study’s authors. He said he frequently diverts to less expensive, processed foods because of the higher cost of fresh produce, dairy and protein.
“The cost of hunger is staggering and measured not just in dollars, but in health opportunity and human potential,” D’Amato said. “These are not just statistics. These are our neighbors, these are humans, these are people, these are families.”
Massachusetts
Nine high school sports takeaways from the first full night of the winter season – The Boston Globe
Browse our players to watch for the upcoming season: Boys’ basketball | Girls’ hockey | Girls’ basketball | Boys’ hockey
Preseason Top 20 rankings: Boys’ basketball | Girls’ hockey | Girls’ basketball | Boys’ hockey
Earning their first coaching wins with their programs were Jesse Mitchell (Canton girls), Liv Robles (Essex Tech girls), Mark Garrity (Malden Catholic boys), Josh Keilty (St. Mary’s boys), Danny Burns (Belmont boys), and Adam Russo (Melrose boys).
▪ The North Reading girls emerged from double-overtime battle with Pentucket with a 52-45 victory thanks to a game-high 23 points from Sophia Gallivan.
▪ Amari Moe provided the buzzer-beating basket as the Lexington boys nipped Burlington, 64-62, despite a big night from the Redmen’s Matty Gray (29 points). Charlie O’Brien paced the Minutemen with 23 points.
▪ Eighth-grader Jackson Hines drilled a tying 3-pointer from the corner at the buzzer to send the game to overtime, then scored 4 of his team-high 13 points in the extra period to give the Arlington Catholic boys a 62-55 road win over Revere.
Our first Top 20 team to get taken down was the No. 17 Abington boys, who lost an 89-80 barnburner to New Bedford despite getting 30 points and 10 rebounds from Kingston Maxwell and 24 points and six rebounds from Tyler Staiti.
Noah Bayersdorfer, Winthrop — In a 54-43 win over East Boston, the senior posted 30 points and seven rebounds.
Ashley Cox, Barnstable — The junior led all rebounders on Friday night, pulling down 15 boards to go with 12 points in a 53-28 win over Bourne.
Hannah D’Angelo, Pembroke — Our one hockey entry of the night, the senior paced the Titans to a 5-1 win over Norwell with two goals and two assists.
Kayla Dunlap, Natick — The sophomore saturated the stat sheet with 25 points, 3 assists, 4 rebounds, and 5 steals in a 62-43 triumph vs. Brookline.
Anna Kanders, Swampscott — The sophomore did a tremendous job sharing the ball and looking for her own shot, scoring 20 points with eight assists in a 58-40 win against Gloucester.
Eileen Lowther, Hingham — The junior dominated the paint, blocking seven shots, grabbing 10 rebounds, and scoring 13 points to beat Middleborough, 43-19.
Diego Montanari, New Bedford — The senior dropped 31 points, leading the Whalers to an 89-80 upset of 17th-ranked Abington
Elian Rodriguez, Salem — The junior notched a double-double, scoring 21 points and dishing 10 assists in a 73-51 triumph over Saugus.
Roman Treadwell, Minuteman — The senior filled up the stat sheet with 18 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks ina 68-44 win over Nashoba Valley Tech.
Oliver Van Rhijn, Dover-Sherborn — The junior posted 23 points and 10 rebounds in a 56-44 win over Nipmuc.
▪ St. John’s Prep has a new volleyball coach: Pamela Benzan Leete. Leete coached both the boys’ and girls’ programs at Essex Tech, qualifying for the postseason for 10 consecutive years, capturing seven Commonwealth Athletic Conference crowns, and producing nine CAC MVPs.
“I am thankful and excited for this incredible opportunity,” said Leete in a statement. “I look forward to working with the boys and helping to mold this program’s future.”
Leete has also served as an assistant at Endicott and has spent more than a decade as a clinician at the Jumbos Volleyball Clinics at Tufts. A Danvers resident who grew up in Malden, she is the English department chair at St. John’s Prep, where she has worked since 2018.
“Pam embodies the kind of educator-coach who strengthens the heart of St. John’s Prep,” said athletic director Jameson Pelkey. “She understands how athletics can deepen a student’s confidence, character, and sense of purpose, and she has a remarkable track record of helping teams achieve at a high level while building a culture rooted in integrity and individual growth.”
Leete takes over an SJP program that has reached the Division 1 quarterfinals in two of the last four seasons.
▪ North Andover announced that former assistant Caitlin Enright will serve as interim girls’ lacrosse coach this spring. A North Andover alumna, Enright played three sports for the Scarlet Knights and went on to play lacrosse at Merrimack. A math teach at North Andover, Enright also serves as a JV soccer coach and freshman basketball coach.
▪ Former Catholic Memorial running back Datrell Jones has entered the transfer portal after three years at Boston College. He played in five games in 2024, with eight carries for 73 yards and a touchdown, but didn’t see the field in 2025.
▪ WPI sophomore Myles Lakin, a Reading graduate, and graduate student Lauren Meinhold, an Acton-Boxborough graduate, were named to the NFHCA Region 1 First Team. Meinhold is a two-time selection after leading the Engineers with 10 goals and five assists. She finished her career with 27 goal sand 26 assists. Lakin, who was named NEWMAC Defensive Player of the Year, logged 14 wins in net with an .863 save percentage and .955 goals against average.
▪ On Tuesday, the United Soccer Coaches released its All-America lists. Massachusetts was represented on the boys’ side by Emmanuel Marmolejo (Berkshire School), Alex Hensch (Longmeadow), Luke Dougherty (Natick), Bless Jeremie Mbuyi Kasongo (Northfield Mt. Hermon), and Garrison Murphy (St. John’s Prep). Honored on the girls’ side: Emmy O’Donnell (Concord-Carlisle), Sarah Tressler (Central Catholic), Emily Burnham (Wellesley), Sidney Heavey (Medfield), Addison Kalaw (BB&N), Tyler Martens (Groton), Nicole Proia (Natick), and Wylie Roossien (Phillips Andover).
▪ North Attleborough will retire Mike Babul’s No. 43 in between the boys’ and girls’ games against Attleboro on Jan. 20. Babul was a standout player for the Red Rocketeers before going on to play at UMass. After several stops as a college assistant, Babul was in his second season coaching Thayer Academy when he died of a heart attack at age 47 in 2024.
Diego Montananri, New Bedford, 31
Alex Ste. Marie, Manchester Essex, 31
Noah Bayersdorfer, Winthrop, 30
Kingston Maxwell, Abington, 30
Matty Gray, Burlington, 29
Cal Atherton, Newburyport, 28
Justin Flores, Lynnfield, 28
Connor Chiarello, Swampscott, 27
Liam MacPhee, Stoneham, 27
Jovani Melendez, Norton, 27
Caleb Haynes, Brookline, 26
Nate Lane, Salem, 26
Leticia Castro, Greater Lowell, 25
John Chareas, St. Mary’s, 25
Brandon Doherty, Lynnfield, 25
Kayla Dunlap, Natick, 25
George Howell, O’Bryant, 25
Mathaios Stamm, Newton North, 25
Teddy O’Neill, Swampscott, 24
Cam Santos, Bridgewater-Raynham, 24
Tyler Staiti, Abington, 24
Malikhi Tavares, Wareham, 24
Rolky Brea Arias, St. Mary’s, 23
Ethan Elie, Braintree, 23
Sophie Gallivan, North Reading, 23
Sarah Michel, Blue Hills, 23
Charlie O’Brien, Lexington, 23
Jonny Sullivan, Tewksbury, 23
Oliver Van Rhijn, Dover-Sherborn, 23
Harrison Burbine, Winchester, 22
Allie Danis, Newton North, 22
Savvy Eriksen, Abington, 22
Olivia Gaynor, Peabody, 22
Jordan Oliver, Acton-Boxborough, 22
Aiden Richard, Tewksbury, 22
Lily White, Dracut, 22
Weston Bunnell, Stoneham, 21
Elian Rodriguez, Salem, 21
Amare Rose, Wareham, 21
Meredith Gibbs, Dover-Sherborn, 20
Shane Harrington, Walpole, 20
Adyxandra Jimenez, Fenway, 20
Anna Kanders, Swampscott, 20
Ashley Cox, Barnstable, 15
Kelsey Hudon, Dracut, 12
Aboubakar Nimaka, Malden Catholic, 12
Bobby Taku, Malden Catholic, 12
Roman Treadwell, Minuteman, 12
Paige Morrison, Sandwich, 11
Sophia Coburn, Peabody, 10
Jeremy Hernandez, Catholic Memorial, 10
Eileen Lowther, Hingham, 10
Ava Martin, Somerville, 10
Kingston Maxwell, Abington, 10
Cassidy Saindon, Dracut, 10
Oliver Van Rhijn, Dover-Sherborn, 10
George Howell, O’Bryant, 9
Katie McMahon, Natick, 9
Teddy O’Neill, Swampscott, 9
Kate Suneson, Apponequet, 9
Lizzy Bettencourt, Peabody, 8
Kyle Ewans, Gloucester, 8
Jackson Farrington, O’Bryant, 8
Matt Kenney, Salem, 8
Erin Langone, Shawsheen, 8
Lily White, Dracut, 8
Elian Rodriguez, Salem, 10
Anna Kanders, Swampscott, 8
Domenic Paniello-Torres, Beverly, 8
Bridget Pole, Natick, 8
Dom Torres, Beverly, 8
Sienna Miranda, Seekonk, 7
Kaylee Maier, Dracut, 6
Kyle Ewans, Gloucester, 5
Grace Goudreau, Seekonk, 5
Amari Kergo, Somerville, 5
Rex Satter, Ipswich, 5
CC Curran, Natick, 4
Jillian Gagnier, Apponequet, 4
Hanna Kuriscak, Apponequet, 4
Teddy O’Neill, Swampscott, 4
Roman Treadwell, Minuteman, 4
Vin Winter, Ipswich, 4
Caelen Mahoney, Seekonk, 7
Kyle Ewans, Gloucester, 6
Lala Gomez, Shawsheen, 6
Amari Kergo, Somerville, 6
Tori White, Canton, 6
Avery Bettencourt, Peabody, 5
Kayla Dunlap, Natick, 5
Kelsey Hudon, Dracut, 5
Olivia Gaynor, Peabody, 5
Aliana Ryan, Peabody, 5
Connor Chiarello, Swampscott, 4
Jillian Gagnier, Apponequet, 4
Cece Levrault, Apponequet, 4
Sienna Miranda, Seekonk, 4
Denai Williams, Natick, 4
Eileen Lowther, Hingham, 7
Sophia Coburn, Peabody, 5
Carson Sarpong, Winchester, 5
Roman Treadwell, Minuteman, 2
Brendan Kurie can be reached at brendan.kurie@globe.com. Follow him on X @BrendanKurie.
Yankee Candle is a staple in the Bay State, famous for its colorful jars full of fragrance and warm light.
And while its candles can essentially be bought from anywhere, the mothership of the iconic candles lies in South Deerfield at Yankee Candle Village.
The flagship store, known for its ginormous collection of Yankee Candle scents and retail goods, is a winter holiday destination for those in New England.
- This is the most popular candle scent in Massachusetts, according to The Loupe
Leading up to Christmas, the store turns into a complete holiday stop.
Now on prominent display are the brand’s many different winter scents, including such classics as Red Apple Wreath and Balsam & Cedar, and such holiday scents as Christmas Cookie and North Pole Greetings.
Bavarian Christmas Village, arguably the most festive room in Yankee Candle Village, is Christmas all year. Guests will stroll through an enchanted forest featuring a 25-foot-tall Christmas tree, nutcrackers, winter village displays and even indoor snow that falls every 4 minutes.
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But scattered throughout the flagship store are hints of Christmas and a winter wonderland — from the home section filled with holiday kitchen decor to the Toy Shop filled with jolly trinkets.
Santa even pays a visit to the Yankee Candle Village, hosting a storytime with kids every Monday through Thursday at 11:30 a.m.
And if the shopping and holiday joy become overwhelming, the store even has cafes that offer a bite to eat. Guests can also indulge in sweet treats in its candy store or try freshly made fudge.
Yankee Candle Village is located at 25 Greenfield Road in South Deerfield. It is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Yankee Candle will close 20 stores; parent to lay off 900 employees
It swims in the family.
A mother and calf wandered off the beaten path and got stranded in a Massachusetts marsh, forcing an emergency mammal rescue crew to save the wayward dolphin pair.
On Dec. 8, the Wareham Department of Natural Resources responded to a report of two stranded dolphins in the area of Beaverdam Creek off of the Weweantic River, a 17-mile tributary that drains into Buzzards Bay, which directly connects to the Atlantic Ocean.
When crews arrived, two common dolphins were located alive and active, but partially out of the water stranded in the marsh, according to the Wareham Department of Natural Resources.
Responding authorities alerted the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) Marine Mammal Stranding Response Team, based in Cape Cod.
IFAW team members put the dolphins on stretchers and brought them to safety, where they conducted preliminary tests on the wayward dolphins.
“Our teams were easily able to extract the animals and transport them via our custom-built rescue vehicle,” Stacey Hedman, senior director of communications for IFAW, said.
The dolphins were weighed; the smaller of the two weighed approximately 90 lbs, and the larger mammal around 150 lbs.
Upon further analysis, it was revealed that the dolphins were an adult female and a socially-dependent juvenile female, a mother and calf pair.
According to Hedman, IFAW had some concerns over the mother’s decreased responsiveness and abnormal blood work, though it was deemed the pair was healthy enough to release back into the ocean at West Dennis Beach in Dennis, Mass.
“By releasing them into an area with many other dolphins around, this would hopefully increase their chances of socialization and survival. Both animals have satellite tags that are still successfully tracking,” Hedman said.
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