Hunger Action Month happens every September and is a national effort to mobilize the public to take action on the issue of hunger. To educate and bring awareness to the issue of hunger and food insecurity in our local communities, the Anne Arundel County Food Bank (AACFB) has launched a local campaign.
Food, funds, and awareness raised as part of Hunger Action Month will help provide critical food distribution for children, adults, and seniors throughout Anne Arundel County. Food insecurity has greatly increased due to theCOVID-19 pandemic in Anne Arundel County. Since March 2020, AACFB has seen a 482 percent increase in the number of people seeking assistance at food pantries and, in response, distributed nearly 7.4 million pounds of food throughout Anne Arundel County. Today, AACFB continues to see an average of 64,000 visits per month at our partner food pantries.
“No one should have to worry about how they will get their next meal,” said Melanie Kincaid, Marketing and Communications Manager of AACFB. “The pandemic has elevated hunger in our county and many need food assistance for the first time. We encourage the Anne Arundel community to join us during Hunger Action Month by taking action and doing the many activities we have throughout the month.”
Anne Arundel County Food bank invites community members to action and help fight hunger throughout the month of September. A few of the highlighted activities include:
- Raise awareness:Wear orange, the color for Hunger Action Month, and share support on Hunger Action Day, Friday, September 17th, on social media or throughout the month of September. Tag @aafoodbank and hashtag #HungerActionAACo.
- Raise funds:Invite friends and family to join in the fight to end hunger by starting a fundraiser to support Anne Arundel County Food Bank. www.aafoodbank.org/fundraise.
- Host a food drive:Hold a socially-distanced food drive in your neighborhood or create a virtual food drive to collect food that will be distributed to our neighbors throughout Anne Arundel County. Sign-up here:www.aafoodbank.org/food-drive.
- Do the Activities:For each activity you complete during Hunger Action Month, an anonymous donor will give $5 to the Anne Arundel County Food Bank, up to $5,000! Download the calendar, mark off the dates, and then email it back to [email protected] to have your activity dates counted. Each person can raise $150 for the Anne Arundel County Food Bank by doing an activity a day.
Additional events are still being added! Learn more and see the latest updates about Hunger Action Month atwww.aafoodbank.org/action. Every action, big or small, that our Anne Arundel County residents take this September makes a real difference for people battling food insecurity.
