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At the beginning of 2024, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services hosted the first-ever Food is Medicine Summit in Washington, D.C. The concept of food as medicine brings greater focus to the understanding of nutrition and its impact on the health and well-being of personal and public health. It also brings focus to inequities in access to nutritious food.


Feeding America estimates that, here in Anne Arundel County, eight percent of residents (more than 47,000 people) face food insecurity: the lack of consistent access to enough healthy, nutritious food. For the Anne Arundel County Food Bank, this number is not an academic construct cited in reports — it is a stark reality. After 2023 cuts to the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (aka “food stamps”), our partners operating food pantries have seen increased demand and on average support 48,000 pantry visits each month.


Although demand remains high, donations to the food bank drop significantly after the November and December holidays. A few weeks ago, we sent out an e-blast and social media posts asking the Anne Arundel community to help. One of the best ways to help us in our mission to alleviate food insecurity is to host a food drive at your place of work, congregation, or neighborhood. (We have details and links in this e-newsletter.) Your donations of healthy, shelf-stable foods make a true difference and ensure we can keep our food pantries stocked for our neighbors in need.

 

Thank you for your continued support of the Anne Arundel County Food Bank.


Sincerely,

Leah Paley

CEO, Anne Arundel County Food Bank

USDA Revises WIC Rules to Increase Nutrition Security, Ease of Use by Clients


Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture made important changes to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). The changes are intended to:


  • provide WIC participants with a wider variety of foods that align with the latest nutritional science;
  • provide WIC state agencies with greater flexibility to prescribe and tailor food packages that accommodate participants’ special dietary needs and personal and cultural food preferences; and
  • address key nutritional needs to support healthy dietary patterns.


Among the changes are increases to the children's benefit (from $9 to $25 monthly) and to the benefit for pregnant and postpartum participants ($12 to $44 per month).


WIC is one of the country's largest federal nutrition programs, providing service to more than 6.6 million women and young children. WIC provides healthy foods, nutrition information, and health care and social service referrals.


Read more about the rule change on the USDA website and at the Food Research & Action Center.

Women at the Helm

The Motherlode Magazine Highlights Food Bank CEO, 100 Other Women in Spring Issue

The spring 2024 issue of Annapolis Mom’s Media The Motherlode showcases over 100 women influencing the way we live in Anne Arundel County. Anne Arundel County Food Bank CEO Leah Paley is one of several nonprofit leaders highlighted in the magazine.


“I was so delighted to be part of this amazing moment,” Paley said. “Being part of this gathering of dedicated, passionate women is a professional highlight. Being able to connect with people I view as friends, mentors, and colleagues was a tremendous experience, and I am honored to be part of this feature highlighting the women making Anne Arundel County an even better place to live and work." 


All the women featured in the magazine were asked the same questions, including what advice they would give to their younger self.


Paley told the magazine: "A trusted mentor and executive coach said to me, 'Don’t let perfect be the enemy of the good.' After that epiphany, I was much more conscious about the amount of time and effort I put into tasks and always began a task with the question, 'Is this something that requires perfection, or is good enough okay?'"

Check Out the Magazine
Watch a Video About the Photo Shoot

Every other month we highlight a member of the AACFB Board of Directors. For April, we are featuring Candice Davis-Griffin. Davis-Griffin is the vice president of marketing for Live! Casino and Hotel Maryland. She joined the board in 2020.


Please describe your professional and/or volunteer experience. How do these experiences contribute to the Anne Arundel County Food Bank’s mission?


I’ve been volunteering at food banks and soup kitchens since I was 14-years old. It is such a passion of mine that when I travel for vacation, I plan a day of service for the local community. I’ve done this at the Food Bank of New Orleans and the Food Bank of South Africa. I think it is extremely important to support all services in my local community, but especially the food bank. Ensuring that all families have access to nutritious food will always be one of my top priorities.


What I contribute from my professional experience is to ensure that Live! Casino and Hotel Maryland continues to be partners with the Anne Arundel County Food Bank and lend my marketing expertise to the team at AACFB. Live! continues to support with a yearly turkey donation in November.

 

What excites you most about serving on the AACFB Board?


I love being able to serve my community in a way that makes an impact. Ensuring that my neighbors have access to nutritious food for themselves and their families is the biggest honor.

 

What is most meaningful to you about AACFB’s mission?


Alleviating food insecurity in a way that makes people feel seen and heard.

 

Big picture question: What is your vision for the food bank five years from now?


I would love to see the amount of agencies the AACFB works with continue to grow.

 

Fun question: What is your go-to comfort food? I LOVE TACOS!

Happenings at the Food Bank

New Faces: Amanda and Trevor Join AACFB Team


Last week Amanda Fields and Trevor Breeden started their new positions with the food bank. Amanda is our Food Drive and Volunteer Coordinator, our frontline role working directly with volunteers sorting and boxing donations and helping out with Mobile Food Pantry distributions. She'll also be working on ways to boost the number of community food drives that help sustain our inventory.


Trevor Breeden is our Warehouse Distribution Coordinator, a new position that focuses on ensuring the accuracy and efficiency of our Network Partner pick-ups; he'll also handle entering distribution data into our inventory system.

AACFB Welcomes Four New Network Partners


The food bank recently brought on board four organizations operating food pantries in Anne Arundel County. The new pantries are located in areas that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has identified as high need. Our new Network Partners are:


  • House of Grace at 2110 Priest Bridge Drive in Crofton (Open third Saturday of the month from 10 am to noon)
  • First Mount Olive at 618 North Hammonds Ferry Road in Linthicum (Open fourth Saturday of the month from 10 am to noon)
  • Miracle Temple Church at 5501 Sands Road in Lothian (Open last Saturday of the month from 1 pm to 3 pm)
  • Laurel Advocacy and Referral Service at 311 Laurel Avenue in Laurel (Open Monday through Friday from 9 am to 2 pm and Monday evenings from 5 pm to 7:30 pm) 

Almost half the food we distribute (45%) is donated by the generous residents and businesses of Anne Arundel County. Our inventory of donated food has dropped significantly in the past two months, but the need in the community remains high. Please help us restock our warehouse with donations of shelf-stable food. 


HOW YOU CAN HELP



Donate items directly to the food bank located at 120 Marbury Drive in Crownsville. Donations accepted Monday through Friday from 9 am to 3 pm. (Please do not leave items on our loading docks when we are closed.)

Organize a food drive. Bring together your workplace, community, or circle of friends to collect food for the Anne Arundel County Food Bank.


Our new food drive guide provides step-by-step instructions on how to hold a food drive and the best foods to donate to promote health.


Help us plan our warehouse volunteer schedule and register your food drive on our website. Click the button below for all the details on hosting a food drive.

Host a Food Drive 

Anne Arundel County Food Bank

Feeding Anne Arundel Since 1986

410-923-4255

www.aafoodbank.org

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