Residents and partners urge council to preserve $2.7M for Anne Arundel County Food Bank

Multiple speakers told the county council they rely on and partner with the Anne Arundel County Food Bank and asked the council to preserve the approximately $2,727,970 allocation included in the executives FY27 proposal. Several speakers described hands-on experience with mobile pantries and partner pantries, and many framed the funding as critical to meeting rising demand among working families and seniors.

Brian Digg, the food banks board chair, told the council the food bank stretches resources to meet growing need and provides a safety net that prevents families from choosing between food and rent or medicine. Lindseay Limmy, the food bank's director of community programs and outreach, said the organization served more than 15,500 households in March and distributes an average of more than 400,000 pounds of food monthly through a network of 70+ partners.

Volunteers and partners from St. Lukes Episcopal Church, pediatricians and mobile-pantry volunteers described the logistics of distribution and the importance of perishable foods, while multiple speakers noted that food insecurity affects households not traditionally expected to need help, including working families and seniors on fixed incomes. Speakers repeatedly said county funding is leveraged by statewide and private supports to expand reach.

Speakers asked that the budget keep the proposed food-bank allocation intact through final council action so partners and pantries can maintain predictable operations for the coming year. The council did not vote at the public hearing.