August 12, 2020
Montgomery County Food Council issued a $25,000 grant
Montgomery County Food Council, Montgomery County’s Food Security Task Force, and a variety of community partners have joined together to help combat the food access crisis in Montgomery County that the COVID-19 pandemic, and the subsequent economic decline, created. MCFC reports that “the income disparities, high cost of living, and societal structures that resulted in an estimated 7% of the County’s population experiencing food insecurity prior to March 2020 have deepened inequities in our local food system as unemployment, small business closures, and health disparities rise during the pandemic.” Therefore the group has had to jump into action to support their community. Their ongoing efforts include services such as coordinating weekly distribution of 22,000 boxes of produce, provide 996 daily meals to seniors, developing service “hubs” throughout the county which will provide comprehensive services, including food distribution, to local residents, and much more. MCFC, whose current framework is to connect more food to more people, will use this grant to continue their work supporting and solving the community’s food insecurities.