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 and Mardi Gras Dance Party Benefits Backpack Programs
For the fifth year in a row, Peoples Bank and many generous local sponsors, have put their energy, staff, and finances behind Chester Gras, a Mardi Gras celebration that benefits our backpack programs. On February 10, 2018, rainy winter weather could not dampen the Chester Gras spirit, and a great time was had inside the warm tent on Spring Street. The event featured 10 delicious gumbos donated by area restaurants as well as some Cajun food, a silent auction, children’s activities, and lively music by Phil Dutton and the Alligators. Hundreds of people, many families with children, attended. The result? Over $9,600 raised for the Food Pantry to purchase food for the backpack programs. These volunteer run programs provide weekend food (in the students’ backpacks) for children in our public schools who live with food insecurity. Thank you everyone.
A Mardi Gras Dance Party was held in the evening at the Mainstay in Rock Hall. All proceeds of this event were also donated to the Backpack Programs, totaling $2100. Thanks especially to Carol Colgate at the Mainstay and Phil Dutton for making this happen!
The Backpack Program
Beginning in 2007, concerned citizens in Kent County at the grass roots level recognized the fact that a large number of our children live in homes where there is insufficient food, and as a result, local backpack programs emerged. The Backpack Program refers to organized efforts in our community to provide a bag of nutritious meals and snacks for school children on a weekly basis. These foods are provided for the weekend when school breakfasts and lunches are not available to children who live with food insecurity. The goal is to relieve immediate hunger and to allow children to come to school on Monday feeling well and ready to learn.
In school year 2017-2018, 981 of the 2001 students enrolled in Kent County Public Schools received free / reduced price breakfast and lunch, almost 50% of the total school population. This school year, volunteers are packing meals for 330 students, 34% of the students with free / reduced lunch status:
The Backpack Program began in Rock Hall 10 years ago. Garnett Elementary students were added in 2009, Kent County Middle in 2010, and soon followed by the other elementary schools. The high school was added in the spring of 2019.
The Community Food Pantry learned of these efforts of volunteers in churches and civic organizations, and in 2010 invited the backpack committees to order shelf stable individual servings of food from the Maryland Food Bank at no charge. Presently the Food Pantry is funding almost $40,000 backpack food a year. The Pantry relies on donations from local citizens, institutions, businesses and groups, along with the Carl and Constance Ferris Charitable Trust to fund the Program. In addition, many individuals, churches and other organizations purchase food or make financial contributions directly to the community groups who do the packing of the food.
Donations for the Backpack Program can be mailed to Backpack Program, c/o The Community Food Pantry, P.O. Box 346, Chestertown, MD 21620. Please make out the check to “Backpack Program.”
A Season of Giving
The Community Food Pantry’s Annual Appeal has once again provided funding needed to purchase food for our families in the coming year. The faithful support of our annual givers is most appreciated, and we are so grateful for the donors who have sent gifts this year for the first time. The Pantry is proud to receive almost all of its funding locally. Thank you for helping us take care of our own in need.
In addition to financial gifts, the Pantry received many warm coats, hats and gloves for the winter. Talented knitters, including the Presbyterian Church Knitters, brought in beautiful handmade hats, mittens, and scarves. Thoughtful people delivered toys and other special items to provide gifts for families during the holidays.
Our Pantry happily groaned under the weight of 9,351 pounds (6,228 from Kent County alone!) of donated food during the months of November and December.
Thank you one and all.
The 2016 Annual Report is available upon request.