bringing hope!
Sharing food....
Help Kent County Food Pantry feed families in need.
Are you seeking food for yourself, your family, a neighbor, co-worker or friend?
Call us at the Food Pantry.
410-778-0550
We are located in downtown Chestertown, Maryland at Christ United Methodist Church.
On the corner of High and Mill Streets, please use the Mill Street entrance.
The Pantry is open every Tuesday, Thursday and second Wednesday of the month from 10:00 a.m. – noon.
Our mailing address is P.O. Box 346, Chestertown, Maryland 21620.
The Kent County Food Pantry provides supplemental food to persons with limited incomes. The Pantry’s goal is to ensure that all qualified clients in Kent County receive sufficient non-perishable food to meet their basic nutritional needs.
Eligibility is determined by Kent County’s Departent of Social Services, by local clergy, schools, law enforcement, and other caring individuals in the County.
If possible, please bring a written statement showing your need for food. The Kent County Food Pantry will provide food and give you a list of other food assistance options in your community, as well as other information you need to access food for you and your family.
If you need food, come to the Pantry Tuesday and Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. until noon, or the second Wednesday of the month, 10 a.m. until noon. If you do not have a referral, come to the Pantry and obtain your food. You may bring your referral on your next visit.
A referral voucher can be obtained at the Kent County Department of Social Services (350 High Street in Chestertown) across from the Pantry.
Bring the voucher to The Food Pantry where you will meet our Program Director. This voucher allows you to receive 60 to 80 pounds or more of food depending on your family size.
Please also bring bags or boxes to carry food as the Pantry does not provide those.
A qualifying family will receive three or more bags each month.
Each Pantry bag includes plenty of non-perishable foods and everyday items needed by all. items such as: toilet paper, soap, toothpaste and other personal products.
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Backpack Programs
Chester Gras Benefits Backpack Programs
For the seventh year in a row, Peoples Bank and many generous local sponsors, will put their energy, staff, and finances behind Chester Gras, a Mardi Gras celebration that benefits our backpack programs. On February 22, 2020, beginning at 11:30, the event will take place in a large heated tent on Spring Street, adjacent to the Peoples Bank in downtown Chestertown. The event features delicious gumbos donated by area restaurants as well as some Cajun food, a silent auction, children’s activities, a colorful parade on High Street, and lively music by Phil Dutton and the Alligators. This family-friendly event is well attended by people of all ages – some in Mardi Gras attire! Over the past six years, Chester Gras has raised significant funding for the Food Pantry to purchase food for the five backpack programs in Kent County Schools as well as in Sudlersville. These volunteer run programs provide weekend food (in the students’ backpacks) for children in our public schools who live with food insecurity. Last year, over $10,000 was raised, thanks to all the participants, Peoples Bank staff, generous sponsors from business and individual donations, and many volunteers from the community.
For more information or if you wish to donate resources or time, please contact the Food Pantry either through this website or call 410-778-0550. You may call the Backpack Program Coordinator, Rachel Perry, at 410-810-3949 or email rachelperrypanas@gmail.com. Thank you!
New Program Director
We are so pleased to introduce you to our new Program Director: Susan Caswell. She is a delight and has taken on this role with her trademark joy and excellence.
She has always tried to be involved in some form of committee/church service and has a desire and obligation to share with those less fortunate. Sue has served on the Community Food Pantry Board, most specifically involved with our efforts to serve children.
Sue has had a dual career, first in healthcare administration and then as an educator. She has taught all levels of students in both private and public schools. She spent her formative years in Turkey. It taught her the value of different cultures and a desire to know people from all over the world.
An interesting tidbit: Sue attended a boys’ prep school in Western Massachusetts. It was at the time when girls’ and boys’ schools had declining enrollments because kids did not want to go to gender specific schools. Five faculty daughters were invited to attend as guinea pigs to see what it was like to have girls on campus. Needless to say, she did not play on the football team. She did mention that the school merged with a nearby girls’ school so they must have been a least somewhat acceptable.
Sue has a wonderful husband Lansing, who is a professor at WAC, a son, Rob, a Thai daughter-in-law, Roj, and a sweet granddaughter, Hannah. She also has four dogs and six cats.
Her hobbies are sewing, cooking, gardening, kayaking, knitting, reading.
We hope you will welcome her with much love.
Passing of Miriam Greenlee