Hunger Never Takes a Holiday. Thankfully, Our Partners Have Presence

Even though 1 in 3 Marylanders face hunger on any given day, food insecurity just hits harder at the holidays. Up to two million of us don’t know where our next meal is going to come from, but Maryland Food Bank Network Partners like Loaves & Fishes go the extra mile to make sure that neighbors don’t feel like numbers—every day, but especially at the holidays.

“Oh, they just called me, so I know my kids will be able to have turkey for Thanksgiving, and that just makes me feel good!” Ronald H., who lives in the West Baltimore area, was one of nearly 100 neighbors who had the opportunity to pick up a complete, traditional holiday meal with turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, and cranberry sauce on the morning of November 13—thanks to Maryland Food Bank Network Partner Loaves & Fishes.

Ronald shared a little bit about his current situation, and why he was attending the food distribution event. “This year is a little tough, my wife and I got divorced and the warehouse I worked in closed, but I still have to provide for our children—and I am so down with this church and how it helps us!”

He was so moved by the kindness that Loaves & Fishes was extending that Ronald wanted to give back.

“In fact, I want to do some service for the church here. Because I can either stay home and cry about things, or I can take a little time to be out here, helping, doing something about it. If people are doing this for me, why shouldn’t I do something for them?”

Getting Tougher as Time Passes

Another Loaves & Fishes neighbor, Barbara, was kind enough to give us a glimpse into what brought her out to the church on Old Court Road in Randallstown.

“Things are hard right now. My husband passed away, and with no real salary, well, sorry, I am getting a little bit choked up at the moment thinking about the holidays without him again. It has been a few years he’s gone, but I swear it feels like it’s a little tougher each year, and this year is the WORST.

I was a caregiver. The person I was caring for moved into a facility, and I have not been able to get enough work since then, just a little part-time, no 40 hours a week kind of thing, no sir.

A friend told me about Loaves & Fishes, and I’m glad about it. We do have a grocery store, but the cost, the cost. How do they expect to put prices like that and expect people to be able to pay it?

And I’ll tell you, I’m kind of’ worried. It’s a little chilly today, but when it gets colder, and my heat bill goes up like it always does when it gets freezing outside, I don’t know, I guess I’ll come here again?

But today is today. It’s almost the holidays, so I need to be thankful. Like I said, it’s tougher this year, but being able to get this holiday box today makes it a little easier, and I say thank you.”

A Blended Holiday

Mary F. and her husband moved to Baltimore from Liberia more than 20 years ago, and things had been pretty good until the last few years, when Mary feels that everything started to get more expensive.

“I don’t know. You turn on the news, and it looks like there’s jobs, the inflation’s down, and the economy is getting better, but that’s not what we are feeling. At every store, grocery, gas, you name it, it is more money today than yesterday—but we don’t have a choice—we have to live with it, and we have to live, right?”

She found out about Loaves & Fishes online and was pleasantly surprised on her first visit. “They give good food! Fresh food too—beans, nourishing meats and chicken, and lots of things for the children.”

But since this food distribution featured Holiday Meals, we asked Mary about her family’s traditions.

“Back in Liberia, for holidays, we shared food with neighbors so everyone could be part of things, so this feels very, well, right. When we moved here, we blended our culture into this one, and we do the same at the holidays.”

And reflecting further on the “blended” concept, Mary noted “Our children were born here, so the things today will really be good for them, as they have more American tastes. We now have turkey, potatoes, and other traditional American foods. We’ll have jollof rice, and some other greens too—blending together the traditions. And that’s what America is supposed to be all about, right? Blending it together, making it work.”

Making it Really Feel Like the Holidays

Hearing the hope in neighbors’ voices in the days leading up to the holidays is uplifting, but we know the really important moments happen later, in their homes, with their families—and we wanted to find out how our neighbors celebrated. Here are Thanksgiving day reflections from three neighbors who picked up Holiday Meals at Maryland Food Bank partner sites in November 2024:

Marie L.

“I just want to say that the turkey was absolutely delicious and moist, and all the sides really came in handy. We celebrated at my daughter’s house with the grandchildren running around, it was so hectic!”

“Our tradition is for each one of us to go around the table and express what we’re thankful for these memories will carry us through the years and we always honor those that aren’t with us anymore,” she continued.

“Thank you for everything. Things were really bad financially so getting this gift was a godsend.”

Dion A.

“You want to know how Thanksgiving was? My family was happy!”

When asked how things would have been different if he had not been able to pick up a Holiday Meal at Loaves & Fishes, Dion was silent for a few moments.

“Oh, how can I explain it, I guess we still would have still tried to do something small, like real small. But that box. That meant it was Thanksgiving with all of seven of us—no way we could have without it! It was nice and heavy, filled with things that you would buy from a real grocery store!”

And Dion described the day as a family affair.

“My wife made pumpkin pie, while I did the turkey. I have an injector, and that helps seal the flavors inside the meat really nice—then I let it slow cook. The kids made the mashed potatoes and green beans. We even had the cranberry sauce, but I don’t really eat that!”

Dion’s final thoughts on the 2024 holiday season were for other neighbors in need, who may be wondering where their next meal might come from and are hesitant to seek assistance.

“Sometimes you got to put that pride to the side. Everybody needs help. I don’t care if you’re rich, poor, or whatever—everybody needs help—just have a conversation, talk to somebody, get the help you need.”

Sherri J.

“Our family tradition is that everyone comes to my house for Thanksgiving and this year, the food in the Holiday Meal box really helped! We had ten people, but it allowed me to have extra for those people who just ’drop in’ unannounced.

I started cooking around at 10 at night and was up until like three or four in morning making all that food. I did get some special help from my granddaughter this year—she made the brownies from the meal box, which were a big hit with the younger kids.

And like many families, after dinner the men watched football and the women were in the kitchen, cleaning and gossiping, but in my family, we all get back together and play games—spades is on the top of the list, then charades. Oh, can’t forget karaoke—we enjoy ourselves together. It was a very good Thanksgiving, and we are thankful for the Holiday Meal from the Maryland Food Bank.

Due to the kind support of caring people like you, Marie’s, Dion’s, Sherri’s, and at least 24,997 other Maryland families’ Holidays were made just a little nicer. Find out more about how our state comes together to care for neighbors in need at year’s end.