Give Baltimore County Residents The Dignity Of A Sunday Supper

BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD — A holiday that doesn’t appear on traditional calendars — National Sunday Supper Month, observed through Jan. 31 — takes on added importance as so many Baltimore County residents struggle to get enough to eat as they cope with coronavirus pandemic-related job losses, business failures and other economic hardships.

The idea behind National Sunday Supper Month is to rediscover the tradition of families spending time together at the dinner table to share stories from the previous week, according to Isabelle Laessig, the founder of the Sunday Supper Movement.

For more than 117,000 people in Baltimore County, lavish Sunday evening meals — or any meals — aren’t in the budget. That’s according to a projection by Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger relief organization, that as many as 50 million Americans faced food insecurity at 2020’s end.

You can help with a tax-deductible contribution to Feeding America, which says the economic fallout of the pandemic has sent millions of Americans to food banks for the first time. For every $1 you give, Feeding America is able to provide 10 meals through its network of 200 food banks that serve and supply 60,000 food pantries, kitchens and meal programs.

If you’re among those struggling to find enough food — or if you want to volunteer — here are some resources here in Baltimore County, which has set up a food assistance map for those searching for locations closest to them:

• Assistance Center of Towson Churches, 116 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Towson, MD 21204. The group offers lunches for the homeless and prepacked grocery bags for neighbors in need. Call 410-296-4855 for more information.
• Bridgeway Community Church, 11301 Red Run Blvd., Owings Mills, MD 21117. Drive-thru pantry from 10 to 11:30 a.m. first and third Saturdays monthly.
• Catonsville Emergency Food Ministry, 25 Bloomsbury Ave., Catonsville.To make an appointment, call the office at 410-747-4357 or request assistance using the online form.
• Harvest Church of God, 605 Westminster Pike, Reisterstown, MD 21136. Food pantry is open the third Saturday of every month from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Greater Bethlehem Temple Church, 8334 Liberty Rd., Windsor Mill, MD 21244. Food assistance for Baltimore County residents from 12 to 3 p.m. Wednesdays. Bring photo ID. Call 410-521-4072 to be put on the appointment list.
• Community Crisis Center, 725 Main St., Reisterstown, MD 21136. Deliveries of emergency food by appointment in 21136,21117, 21071 ZIP codes only or driveway drive-thru emergency food pickup from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturdays and 5 to 7 p.m. Mondays.
• Helping Hands Food Pantry, Upper Falls, MD, Salem United Methodist, 7901 Bradshaw Rd., Upper Falls, MD 21156. Food distribution is available during the pandemic from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Monday and Friday. Individuals must call 410-592-2226 before arriving and leave name, number of children and number of adults. A five-day emergency supply of food will be ready when a person arrives.
• Liberty Church,11301 Liberty Rd., Owings Mills, MD 21117. Food available from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Thursdays for residents in the 21117, 21133 and 21784 ZIP codes.
• Liberty Community Development, 7111 Windsor Blvd., Windsor Mill, MD 21244. Drive-up pantry from 9 a.m. to noon Thursdays while supplies last.
• Liberty Food Pantry, 3301 Milford Mill Rd., Baltimore, MD 21244. Food available 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Sundays, from 1 to 3 p.m. every third Tuesday and upon request.
• Loaves and Fishes at Mt. Olive United Methodist, 5015 Old Court Rd., Randallstown, MD 21133. Groceries available third Saturday of each month from noon until 1:15 p.m. Food is generally available on an emergency basis during the week by contacting the Mt. Olive UMC office at 410-922-2853.
• Mount Calvary AME Church, 349 Eudowood Lane, Towson, MD 21286. Food pantry operates from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Call 410-296-9474 for more information.
• The Pantry at Community Christian Church, 8007 Corporate Dr., Suite C, Nottingham, MD 21236. Email thepantry@communitycc.net or call The Pantry at 410-335-5940 to set up an appointment to pick up a week's worth of nonperishable groceries.
• Perry Hall United Methodist Church Food Pantry, 9515 Belair Rd., Baltimore, MD 21236. Call 410-256-1897 for more information.
• Reisterstown UMC, 308 Main St Reisterstown, MD 21136. Food pantry from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday.
• St. Ursula Pantry, 8801 North Rd., Parkville, MD 21234. The food pantry is open the third Thursday of the month. Call 410-665-0918 for more information.
• Thankful Paws pet food bank, Perry Hall, MD 21128. The nonprofit food bank delivers pet food to low-income individuals (monthly income under $960) and the elderly (70-plus years old) in Perry Hall as well as those experiencing homelessness. Call 410-907-PAWS from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Friday except holidays or email BARK@THANKFULPAWS.ORG for more information.
• Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1100 Philadelphia Rd., Joppa, MD 21085. Open 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays; 3:30 to 5 p.m. Thursdays; and 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturdays.

Sunday evening suppers don’t just nourish the body.

The importance of the family meal — often the only time of the day when the entire family spends time together — is firmly grounded in research, which shows sitting down together to eat doesn’t just nourish the body but also has social, physical and emotional benefits.

The Sunday Supper Movement traces back to 2012, when food blogger Isabel Laessig’s oldest child left home for college and left her longing for the time spent in the kitchen and with family at mealtime. She and eight other bloggers Laessig said were “passionate about bringing families together to cook and eat together” held the first virtual progressive Sunday Supper.

Patch has partnered with Feeding America to help raise awareness on behalf of the millions of Americans facing hunger. Feeding America, which supports 200 food banks across the country, estimated that by the end of 2020, more than 50 million Americans will not have enough nutritious food to eat due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. This is a Patch social good project; Feeding America receives 100 percent of donations. Find out how you can donate in your community or find a food pantry near you.