80,000 Pounds Of Meals Donated To Anne Arundel County Food Bank On Hunger Action Day

CROWNSVILLE, MD — A pair of semi-trucks dropped off an 80,000-pound meal donation at the Anne Arundel County Food Bank. The act of kindness came on Sept. 17, also known as Hunger Action Day.

The food bank has faced increased demand for its services during the coronavirus pandemic.

There has been a 482 percent spike in the number of people seeking help at Anne Arundel food pantries since March 2020. Since then, the food bank has fulfilled 64,000 monthly visits and donated 7.5 million pounds of meals.

Food donations have slowed by 76 percent in recent months, however.

That dropoff hurt more when Anne Arundel County Public Schools canceled the food collection portion of its annual Harvest for the Hungry. This initiative, the pantry's largest drive each year, usually yields 150,000 pounds of food. For the second straight year, the effort will only focus on monetary donations.

"At the beginning of the pandemic, many businesses jumped in to help us meet the skyrocketing food needs in our County," pantry Executive Director Susan Thomas said in a press release. "But unfortunately, the food donation support has dropped off significantly. We are so thankful for the two tractor trailers of healthy food donations that will go to immediate use to our neighbors in need."

September is also Hunger Action Month. The pantry asked residents to consider pitching in during the 30-day blitz against food insecurity. Instructions on how to help are posted here.

A Word From The Pantry: Anne Arundel County Food Bank was founded in 1986 to collect, purchase, and distribute food to nonprofit organizations in Anne Arundel County. The Food Bank works alongside local, county, community, and civic organizations to provide essential basic necessities to those in need and to help families and individuals get out of crisis and become self-sufficient. For more information on how to help, or how to receive help from an Anne Arundel County Food Bank, please go to www.aafoodbank.org.

The truck donation was sponsored by the Office of Gov. Larry Hogan and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

"A delivery of this size will fulfill such a need in Anne Arundel County for families who are struggling," stated Steven McAdams, director of the Governor's Office of Community Initiatives. "We are grateful for this partnership with the church that has benefitted so many for six years running. We thank the Anne Arundel County Food Bank for the critical service it provides to the community."

Maryland first teamed with the church in 2015 to promote service. Earlier this month, Hogan offered state employees four hours of extra leave to participate in qualified community service events until Oct. 11.

Volunteering opportunities are listed at justserve.org. Details on the time off are listed at goci.maryland.gov/dts.

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, estimates that in 2021, about 42 million Americans may 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.

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