We are improving the lives of all Marylanders by making sure everyone has access to nutritious food while providing solutions that address hunger in the first place.
We’re using new tools, new resources, and a wealth of data to make things better for Maryland’s children, individuals living in Communities of Color, older adults, and working families.
What does it take to feed our neighbors in need?
3 Branches
Baltimore (central Maryland), Salisbury (Eastern Shore), and Hagerstown (western Maryland)
760+ Community Partners
many of which offer multiple programs
180 Staff
a hardworking and dedicated team
Nearly 42,000 Volunteer Hours
a passionate and caring group
How do we get food to hungry Marylanders?
Distributing food from three locations across 21 counties and Baltimore city requires an inclusive approach with different solutions for different situations.
Community Partners
More than 760 food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and other community-based organizations all across the state help provide relief to members of their communities who struggle to put food on their tables.
Distribution Programs
School Pantries, Pantry on the Go, Summer Clubs, and Supper Clubs offer our neighbors in need access to nutritious food in a variety of settings. We also help connect people with federal and state food assistance programs, such as TEFAP and SNAP Outreach.
Maryland Food Bank Programs
Tailored programs ensure food-insecure Marylanders get the assistance they need.
The company I worked for closed last year, and while I have been able to find part-time work, it’s not enough to cover my rent, my bills, and be able to get food at the grocery store. I honestly don’t know how my daughter and I would get by if the Maryland Food Bank wasn’t out here today.”
Anne W.
under-employed mother
Where does the food bank get food?
Until recently, our inventory was roughly equal percentages of donated, donated facilitated, and purchased, with the remainder coming from the USDA.
Donated
Food comes from grocery and big box stores, manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers and our Farm to Food Bank Program.
Purchased
Food that MFB buys through relationships with manufacturers and distributors.
Facilitated Donated
Food that is recovered from local retailers by our Network Partners.
USDA
Federally sourced food from large-scale manufacturers.
During the pandemic, our model shifted, and we had to purchase a much higher percentage of the food we distribute. We found that the increased flexibility and control over the types of food we purchase results in a more dignified experience, allowing people visiting our partners to make healthier choices. We are continuing to use this model, even with the ongoing increased costs.
Culturally Inclusive Crops Bring Nutrition, Familiarity to Neighbors in Need
Our Culturally Inclusive Crop Program provides neighbors in need with familiar, culturally relevant foods, that not only ease the burden of acquiring fresh produce (which can be prohibitively costly, if it is available at all), but also encourages healthier eating choices.
How do we know how much food to send into communities?
Recognizing that hunger looks different in western Maryland than it does in Baltimore or on the Eastern Shore, we take a regional approach to our food distribution efforts, dividing Maryland into five areas — Western, Northern, Central, Southern, and Eastern.
With data gleaned from our Maryland Hunger Map, we work with our local partners in each region to help determine which of our existing programs or distribution methods will work best in their community. Additionally, we connect partners with nearby social service organizations that can help their neighbors in need address the root causes that are driving them to hunger in the first place.
And we’re continuing to innovate, and offer new approaches, such as Mobile Markets and versioned Back Up Boxes.
The Maryland Hunger Map
This resource is helping us do more for our neighbors, and we’re excited to have you explore the map to learn more about hunger.
How Can You Help?
Our ability to expand access to nutritious food while providing solutions for those in need relies on continued partnerships and support from Marylanders like you.
Help support our efforts.
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Latest Food Distribution News
Expressions of Gratitude During the Holiday Season
Expressions of gratitude fuel our efforts to feed our neighbors in need, and we couldn’t feel more humbled. Find out what neighbors, partners, team members volunteers, donors, and Board members are showing gratitude for this year.
Mosh for Meals: Hardcore Punk Band Sick Move are Changemakers
Find how Baltmore’s own Sick Move and other hardcore punk bands raised food and funds for the Maryland Food Bank through “Mosh for Meals” at The Depot from the safety of your couch!
OshKosh Corporation Volunteers Pack Piles of Pasta
In Western Maryland, the Maryland Food Bank and volunteers from the OshKosh Corporation teamed up to help fill up plates—with pasta.
Trucking Hunger! Sean Rideout is a Changemaker
Find out how U.S. Navy Veteran Sean Rideout is using his experience participating in humanitarian missions internationally to make a difference for his neighbors in need in Maryland.
