Anne Arundel County Food Bank Inc

The Anne Arundel County Food Bank, a community-focused organization, is committed to alleviating food insecurity within its local area. Their primary mission is to obtain and distribute nutritious food supplies to neighbors in need, partnering with various community, civic, and religious groups. These partners receive the food items free of charge and then distribute them directly to individuals experiencing food scarcity.

During the 2022-2023 fiscal year, the food bank distributed over 3.4 million pounds of food and basic necessities, including fresh produce, lean proteins, and diapers. Through its network of partners, the food bank provided an average of 48,000 points of service each month, ensuring that food assistance and baby supplies reached numerous individuals in need. The food bank's Backpack Buddies program also offered complete breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks to over 550 Anne Arundel County public school students each week, catering to 31 schools.

Additionally, the Anne Arundel County Food Bank obtained a significant portion of its inventory through donations from community food drives, partnerships with local farms and religious groups, and the Retail Recovery Program. This program allowed the food bank to collaborate with 25 grocery stores and retail centers in Anne Arundel County to obtain donations of items within food safety and expiration guidelines, thus preventing waste and providing thousands of pounds of high-quality food.

In the 2023 fiscal year, the food bank distributed 1,403,912 pounds of purchased products, representing 41% of the total amount distributed. The food bank's relationships with food distribution companies and regional farms enabled them to source fresh vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, and culturally relevant foods, ensuring universal access to nutritious and culturally appropriate food. The remaining 14% of distributed food came from the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) under the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The food bank served as the sole distributor of TEFAP food in Anne Arundel County, providing over 39,000 pounds of shelf-stable food, produce, and lean proteins each month.

The food bank implemented a three-year strategic plan in 2023, which focused on adjustments to reflect its position as a community resource, improving operational efficiency, strengthening and expanding programs and partnerships, and building resilience, equity, and justice into its core operations. The food bank's efforts over the past year included broadening network partner and neighbor surveys to identify areas for improvement, prioritizing the purchase of culturally relevant foods, and advocating for support and systemic change. Through collaborations with numerous county agencies, the food bank worked to identify food access gaps and address them with programmatic responses. Internally, the food bank implemented a new food inventory system to enhance efficiency, resource distribution, and reporting.