There was an interesting public forum this week on the University of Maine at Augusta campus. It was about hunger issues. Yes, there was some disagreement about the role of government in addressing hunger, but state and local communities can do a lot to help.

According to the Kennebec Journal, In 2011, Maine ranked second to Rhode Island in rate of food insecurity in New England, 14.7% of households. That is the same as the U.S. average. The number is even higher among children, 24% faced food insecure issues in 2010.  Hungry kids face even bigger issues, as well. When they are hungry, kids can't concentrate in school, and diet-related diseases are expensive to treat. Food insecurity is also closely connected with poverty.

For what on the surface is such a basic issue and easy to understand immediate solution, people are hungry so help to feed them, there are so many layers and factors.

More From 92 Moose