BOSTON -As COVID-19 restrictions are lifted and the country opens up, some Massachusetts residents are still feeling the ripple effects of the pandemic - especially food insecurity.

A pandemic impact report from the nonprofit Feeding America estimates Massachusetts had the highest increase of food insecurity in the country between 2018 and 2020, up 59%.

Arlene Fortunato, senior vice president of advancement with the Greater Boston Food Bank, said that need hasn't let up - and with schools closed during the summer, they anticipate the usual surge in demand.

"We have not seen the demand decrease, despite the fact that the vaccine is here and readily available," said Fortunato. "As we frequently say, there is no vaccine for hunger. And people continue to need the emergency food system more than ever."

Fortunato said the food bank distributed 11 million pounds of nutritious food last month - the largest distribution month in its 40 year history.

Food insecurity rates in the pandemic have been highest among adults with children, and Black and LatinX households, according to a new report by the Greater Boston Food Bank and the National Food Access and COVID Research Team.

Fortunato noted the study found 74% of people surveyed said they'd prefer to take care of their families on their own, and not have to use the emergency food system.

"The deeper dive into that identifies the issue of stigma as playing a huge part in the decision that people make to forgo access to healthy food," said Fortunato.

She added the food bank has made other options available, such as increasing the number of family meal cards, making food-distribution sites available at places other than pantries, and making folks aware of resources like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the federal food-assistance program.

Looking back on the last year, Fortunato said she feels there's been a shift in public perceptions of hunger.

"Well, if there's one silver lining to the pandemic, it's been for us that people are finally aware that food insecurity is a crisis in this country," said Fortunato. "And it was well before COVID-19, and it will be beyond."

Information on food assistance can be found by calling 211, or looking online at 'gbfb.org.'

Maine is seeking proposals for a grant opportunity to support local food producers and production and assist low-income residents in accessing local food.

A bill passed and signed into law last year allocated $25,000 to provide incentives for residents receiving food and nutrition benefits to purchase locally grown fruits and vegetables, and increased outreach about them.

Genna Cherichello, Maine Senior FarmShare program manager for the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, said nutrition incentives are critical because local producers often have higher costs than large agriculture corporations.

"It creates a little bit more freedom for folks on these food and nutrition assistance programs to select local food if they want to," Cherichello explained. "It also is an additional funding stream for our local producers."

Cherichello added the state dollars may also be used to leverage additional federal, local or private funding, for opportunities that require a match.

Maine's Climate Action Plan includes a goal of increasing local food production from 10% to 30% by 2030, to support farmers, fishing and aquaculture harvesters, as well as make communities more resilient.

Cherichello added it is an exciting opportunity to bring state support to organizations and programs that have been around for years and know their communities' needs.

"If your organization works with local food producers, or low-income folks who receive food and nutrition assistance, and you're interested in expanding your existing efforts to connect those low-income people with food grown in Maine, we would all love to see your application," Cherichello stated.

Groups doing such work in Maine include Farm Fresh Rewards, which is run through the Good Shepherd Food Bank, and Maine Harvest Bucks, with the Maine Federation of Farmers' Markets. Applications for the grant opportunity are due in less than a month, on June 21st.

Virginia's food banks are facing a perfect storm of issues. High inflation for everyday goods is driving up food costs for lower-income families, all while food banks are working to overcome supply-chain issues to keep their shelves stocked.

Eddie Oliver, executive director of the Federation of Virginia Food Banks, which oversees seven regional food banks across the state, said since many pandemic stimulus benefits have expired, the financial reserves lower-income families built have started to drop off.

"While families are getting squeezed, they're turning more and more to food banks for assistance," Oliver pointed out. "Meanwhile, our operational expenses are going up. So it's challenging on many fronts."

Oliver noted the best way to support a local food bank is through financial support, which will help them keep up with the surge in grocery prices. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), grocery prices are anticipated to increase between 5% and 6% in 2022.

According to Feeding America, nearly a quarter-million Virginia children are food insecure, and nearly half of households receiving SNAP benefits have children.

On top of the supply-chain issues and inflation, Oliver emphasized the end of the school semester also will be an exacerbating factor in the coming weeks.

"School meal access is coming to an end here as schools are about to let out for the summer," Oliver observed. "Meanwhile, we're seeing the highest inflation we've seen in decades, which of course disproportionately impacts low-income families."

The USDA extended free school lunches to kids throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, but the program will end at the conclusion of this school year. The Virginia Poverty Law Center reported pre-COVID, more than 460,000 Virginia students received free and reduced-cost school meals daily.

Oregonians are casting their ballots for Tuesday's primary election. One issue affecting many voters is access to child care.

Courtney Helstein, senior political director with the organization Family Forward Oregon, said child-care affordability was a problem before COVID-19 and the pandemic has only exacerbated it.

She said women, particularly women of color, have felt the disproportionate impacts of care costs and accessibility. Helstein said the costs mean some have to make tough decisions.

"The result of all these high costs is that too many families are actually forced to choose between child care, between meals, between other basic necessities," said Helstein. "And they're also having to weigh the financial costs of, 'Is it actually more cost effective for me and my family for me to not work?'"

Helstein said demand has never been higher for child care, but workers in the field are among the lowest paid in the country.

She said there have been some successes in the Oregon Legislature, including investments in early childhood learning and community-led pilot projects.

Matt Newell-Ching, senior policy manager with the nonpartisan nonprofit Oregon Food Bank, said access to child care is a hunger issue.

The food bank surveyed candidates for governor about food insecurity, and their responses are posted on its website.

Newell-Ching said there's a question about child care because Oregon Food Bank believes it will continue to be an issue for Oregon families.

"Whoever the next governor is," said Newell-Ching, "we believe it's critical that we as a state come together to ensure kids have a safe place to be while parents are working because it impacts every communities' ability to rebuild and thrive."

Helstein said we need to look at child care differently.

"We're seeing the beginning of this culture shift," said Helstein, "across the country, but definitely in the state of Oregon, of really starting to reframe access to child care from kind of like a personal problem to a societal problem, to a community benefit."

The deadline to vote in Oregon's primary is Tuesday. Drop sites for ballots will be open until 8 p.m.

Reporting by Oregon News Service funded in part by Oregon Food Bank.