Maryland Farmers Helping Their Neighbors in Need
Fresh produce is key to a healthy lifestyle, but expensive, and out of reach for many food-insecure Marylanders. Help Out
What is the Farm to Food Bank Program?
The Farm to Food Bank Program engages farms across the state to provide hungry Marylanders with fresh, local produce. By combining field gleanings, donations, and contract growing, these farms supply high quality, nutritious food to communities in need across the state.
Participating farmers get access to food bank resources and can call upon our team to pick up donated produce at any time.
Distributing Fresh Produce
Once the produce is in our care, we mobilize our partners and programs to make sure that we get it to hungry Marylanders while it’s still fresh! Here’s how:
- Our Network Partners – Soup kitchens, schools, pantries and shelters, work with us to serve thousands of people each day. Partners with proper storage facilities can order fresh produce from our daily menu.
- Our Pantry on the Go Program – In FY23, 2.5 million pounds of the 13 million pounds of fresh produce we distributed to underserved areas in Maryland came from our Farm to Food Bank network.
- Our FoodWorks program – Professional chefs incorporate fresh produce into the meals they produce for hungry Marylanders.
How Local Farmers Can Join the Fight Against Hunger
Farmers across the state can get involved in this program in various ways. Many choose to donate their excess crops, while others allow Maryland Food Bank volunteers to glean fields after the initial harvest, or even commit to growing produce just for donation!
The 59 farms currently teaming up with us to fight hunger are the primary source of fresh, donated produce that form the backbone of nutrition for the more than 41 million meals we distributed to hungry Marylanders in FY23.
Farmers interested in partnering with the Maryland Food Bank should contact Amy Cawley for more information.
This program is a win for the farmer, the food bank, and the people receiving the food.
Amy Cawley
Farm to Food Bank Coordinator
Learn More About the Farm to Food Bank Program
If you’re curious about the Maryland Food Bank Farm to Food Bank program, either as a potential recipient, partner, participant, donor, or volunteer, please speak to Program Coordinator Amy Cawley. Reach out via email or call (410) 737-8282.
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