Dock Street Foundation, the Mid-Shore Community Foundation, the Avalon Foundation, and Discover Easton will kick-off the celebration of Hopeful 2020 at 6 p.m. on July 10^th in Thompson Park in Easton, instead of the Washington Street Promenade as was previously planned. The event will include the unveiling of two of the art sculptures located at the corner of Washington St. and Dover Rd. Two additional art sculptures are being erected at other locations in Easton this week.

Hopeful art sculptures are being unveiled in Easton on July 10 at the corner of Washington Street and Dover Road.

Hopeful 2020 engages citizens to express their feelings of hope for the future by contributing funds to the Mid-Shore Community Foundation’s Covid-19 Response Fund in support of nonprofit organizations that provide food, shelter and health services to Talbot County’s underserved residents.

Robbie Schaefer, a musician, songwriter, and playwright devoted to service through the arts will open the celebration in Thompson Park at 6 p.m., followed by a brief unveiling ceremony around 6:45 p.m. Schaefer is the guitarist and songwriter for the indie folk band Eddie From Ohio, winners of seven Wammie Awards. As a solo performer Robbie has shared the stage with Sara Bareilles, Jason Mraz, Josh Groban, Michael McDonald, Keb’ Mo and Emmylou Harris, among others. He also founded OneVoice, an international non-profit devoted to uniting and empowering youth through music and the creative arts.

Robbie Schaefer

The Talbot Arts Council is also participating in the Hopeful 2020 campaign by encouraging arts groups to consider new projects in music, fine arts, craft, poetry and writing related to the theme of “hope.”

The Hopeful 2020 art sculptures, created by Maine artist, Charlie Hewitt, who will also be on hand to speak at the event, send an inspiring message. His mixed-media work incorporates marquee style lighting into a retro-inspired sign illuminated in colorful hues. In the words of the artist, “I would like people to be grateful for their country, their families and their community. To appreciate the quality of life we share and to remember that being Hopeful is a challenge that requires action and commitment.”

Those interested in taking an action step can do so by donating to Mid-Shore Community Foundation’s Covid-19 Response Fund at: www.dockstreetfoundation.org.

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In March 2020, when Governor Hogan issued the Stay at Home Order in Maryland, the Talbot County Emergency Operations Committee (EOC) knew that providing sufficient food was going to be very important in making residents feel safe and stable during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We knew that the County already has a hunger issue during the good times,” says Jan Willis, who manages the Emergency Operations Committee Feeding Task Force and serves as coordinator of the Local Care Team for Talbot County, “But to see the explosion of need with the huge increase in unemployment, especially in the service industry, has been staggering.”

L-R: Teddy Bear Fresh owner Mary Salins with Jan Willis, Coordinator of the Local Care Team for Talbot County.

Before COVID-19, the poverty rate in Talbot County was 11 percent and 28 percent of residents lived just above poverty level and were employed. When COVID-19 happened, those living below poverty or just above the poverty level totaled 39 percent or 17,000 people.

“This was an unprecedented event that affected so many people,” Willis adds. “The complications were that many were not receiving their unemployment benefits and had no money for food.”

In 2014, the Talbot Family Network formed the Talbot County Hunger Coalition in partnership with existing food pantries, churches, and other agencies. This organization has worked to raise awareness of the issue of hunger in Talbot County and has helped to raise funds for the network of food pantries already operating in the County.

Erin Spurry of Chesapeake Landing

Catherine Poe serves as Chair of the Talbot County Hunger Coalition, “By establishing the Coalition, we have been able to coordinate Talbot County’s food services and thank God we had the structure in place when COVID-19 hit,” she says.

Talbot County has nine nonprofit organizations or qualified faith-based organizations that partner with the Maryland Food Bank– Eastern Shore,according to Regional Programs Director, Jennifer Small.When the pandemic started, the Maryland Food Bank put into place a plan to meet the increased need. The Governor granted $3 million to the Maryland Food Bank to distribute to statewide partners within their service territory, which includes 21 Maryland counties and Baltimore City.

Additionally, the Maryland Food Bank partnered with several county-level emergency management service departments and committees to add additional financial support in response to COVID-19 impacts that would be experienced well into the fall.   As a result of this partnership,Talbot County and Talbot Family Network’s with the Maryland Food Bank Eastern Shore, Talbot County was able to purchase a direct shipment of 23,000 pounds of shelf-stable palletized food which can be distributed through the county’s 11 permanent food pantries. The food is packed into 30-pound boxes that are then distributed to Talbot County food pantries, used in neighborhood distribution events,or delivered to support the needs of families in quarantine due to COVID-19.

Volunteers preparing for the Pantry on the Go food distribution in St. Michaels.

The Maryland Food Bank also joins with partners in the County to handle emergency community needs as they arise. These partners include emergency pantries, youth programs (Care Packs), mobile pantries on the go currently operating as drive-through pantries (Scott’s United Methodist Church and Union Baptist Church), and The Emergency Food Assistance Programs (TEFAP) (Neighborhood Service Center).

For mobile pantry partners, the Maryland Food Bank builds the orders that the partners receive for a community distribution event. These include shelf-stable dry goods, produce, beverages, meats, breads,and pastries. For other non-mobile specific partners, they order from an online menu in which they have a 24-hour turnaround time from order to delivery of food to their organizations.

“Since COVID-19, we have seen a greater need than we have ever seen before,” Small says. “Statewide statistics for the Maryland Food Bank reveal that 4.4 million pounds of food were distributed in April 2020, which is double the amount of food distributed in April of 2019. In addition, there has been a reported 40 percent increase in new clients visiting pantries on the Eastern Shore, clients who have never used the Food Bank before this spring.

L-R: Jason Chance of Tricycle and Run, Jan Willis,Coordinator of the Local Care Team for Talbot County, and Julia Cohoon, Feeding Operations Assistant.

“We are fortunate to have partners like Talbot County and the Talbot Family Network to help us meet needs in creative ways like hosting drive-through food pantries while exercising strict safety measures to better serve our local constituents during such a challenging time,” Small adds.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farmers to Families Food Box Program is a new program that contracted with the Maryland Food Bank during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program came together quickly through the USDA after supply chain disruptions began and farmers started plowing under vegetables as a result of having large amounts of excess produce.

“Through this program the USDA helps to support farmers and suppliers who in turn provide Food Banks with produce, meat, and dairy products, helping to get food onto the tables of food-insecure families; nutritional items, which can be costly when having to be purchased,”Small explains.

Easton-based Teddy Bear Fresh, was one of 200 distributors who were selected to participate in the USDA program, distributing 3500 boxes of produce a week to food pantry locations and pop-up food pantries on the Eastern Shore. The Salisbury Branch of the Maryland Food Bank Warehouse receives 1,500 boxes. Some 1,000 boxes are distributed directly to Talbot County food pantries through the Talbot County EOC, and 1000 boxes are shipped directly to Caroline County through the County Commissioners.

This program has enabled Teddy Bear Fresh owner Mary Salins to create 18 jobs for people packing the boxes. A total of 21,000 boxes were delivered in the first six weeks of the program.Each 25-pound box contains lettuce, potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, cabbage, apples, onions, and oranges.All food included in the produce boxes is produced in the U.S.Teddy Bear Fresh Produce was recently selected to participate in the next period covering July 1 through August 31, 2020.

“We have been in the food distribution business for 11 years, Salins says. “Because Teddy Bear Fresh has been involved for years supporting the Maryland Food Bank and the Talbot County Care Packs program, we already had the relationships and knew the need was there.

“We put a lot of love in our boxes. It’s an honor to be picked to provide this service representing the Eastern Shore in these efforts, but it’s the food pantries who are the real heroes here as they are getting the boxes to the people in need,” she adds.

Salins is working with several local farmers to incorporate local produce into the boxes, including kale and collards, depending on its availability during the growing season.

Trish Payne, Executive Director, St. Michaels Community Center, one of Talbot County’s food pantries and meal distribution sites, states, “St. Michaels Community Center is very grateful to have the opportunity to help anyone in need during this unsettling time. We’re only able to fill the needs because of the tremendous support we’ve received from our community, the assistance we get from being a member of the Maryland Food Bank, assistance in fresh produce received from the USDA, meals and food donations from Gourmet By the Bay, Graul’s Market and generous donors who have helped us help so many.”

COVID-19 is going to have lasting effects in the months to come Small predicts. “We are estimating that in September and October, the need will still be there,” she says. “The financial impact on the Maryland Food Bank resulting from increased purchasing and increased food costs of more than 30-50%, has been measurable.

“Before COVID-19, $1 provided three meals and that has changed since COVID,” she continues.“Because food donations have declined as retailers are no longer seeing the excess product that is typically donated to us, monetary donations to the Maryland Food Bank continue to be important and we will continue to rely on county-level support to meet these needs.”

Increased awareness of hunger issues in Talbot County is one positive to come from the community’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It has been so heartening to me to see the responsiveness of Talbot County’s food pantries and how the community has recognized the importance of food in making families feel stable and safe,” Willis says. “During this time, volunteers logged in a total of more than 1,271 volunteer hours related to food distributions.  The foresight of Talbot County – specifically Emergency Operations Director Clay Stamp – to bring food on as early as they did helped to stabilize Talbot County early in this crisis.”

Stamp reflects on the community response, “We are more than three months into the COVID-19 crisis, and I couldn’t be more proud of my Talbot County community, both in my public safety role and as a citizen. I have and continue to be amazed at the selfless commitment of so many for those in need.”

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There are silver linings to the havoc that COVID 19 has wreaked on the business community on the Mid Shore. One local company, Spunkwear, a spandex apparel company based on Kent Island, decided to hit the challenge head-on by designing a new product just in time for the hot summer months when wearing masks could be challenging. Sheilah Ruppert, founder of Spunkwear, has designed a new line of masks that are lightweight, offering breathability and comfort, but which are also fun and stylish.

Ruppert comments, “Our masks are easy on the ears and don’t tend to fog up glasses – two big complaints about most masks available on the market today.”

Sheilah Ruppert, founder of Spunkwear, showcasing Spunkwear and Southwind Apparel masks.

Ruppert’s new business focus grew out of the challenge she found herself facing.  She had designed printed fabrics for this season’s clothing line when production came to a halt after her Pennsylvania factory shut down.  With retail businesses forced to close, her wholesale accounts began reducing and canceling their orders.

“We had such momentum after years of growth and success, any challenges along the way were nothing compared to COVID.  I have been an entrepreneur my whole life and I knew it was time to switch gears and get creative,” she reflects.

“Along with every other quarantined sewer, I began making masks from my stash of quilt fabrics.  I was also stitching buttons onto Spunkwear headbands and donating them to nurses whose ears were rubbed raw from the elastic on their masks.  After daily requests from our customer base, I finally designed a comfortable mask using some leftover Spunkwear prints on board short fabric.  With the help of a local stitcher, we would produce about 200 a day, which would sell out on our website within an hour.”

When the factory in Pennsylvania finally re-opened for “essential” goods only, Spunkwear’s mask production ramped up and the sales of Ruppert’s masks and neck gaiters took off.

Spunkwear’s popularity began after Ruppert designed a simple spandex dress with a sports bra top and an A-line skirt. She wore the dress to the weekend-long Maryland girls’ lacrosse tournaments, where she sold her goods from a tent.  Moms’ requests to buy her “original” dress was the beginning of her women’s apparel line.  With teams from around the country attending the huge Maryland summer lacrosse tournaments, the website sales spiked after the weekend when moms returned home and showed friends their Spunkwear dresses.  Brand recognition came quickly and Spunkwear grew to include a dozen dress styles, skorts, tops, pants, tights, and accessories.  The line is also sold under the wholesale label, Southwind Apparel.

Spunkwear masks come in multiple fabrics including the signature hot pink crab fabric shown here.

“I am so appreciative of this opportunity and the response we’re getting to the masks.  The feedback has been so positive.  Over and over, we’re hearing that our masks are so breathable and less intrusive, especially in warm weather,” she remarks.  “Our wide range of fun and pretty prints have helped lighten the mood around masks.  We’re adding more prints each week and our customers are adding to their collections!”

Fabrics for both masks and neck gaiters include solids, whimsical and tropical prints, as well as Spunkwear’s signature crab and Maryland prints.  Child size and larger men’s size masks have also been added to the line.

A portion of all mask sales goes to Haven Ministries, a local non-profit that provides shelter, clothing, food, and support to those in need in Queen Anne’s County.  For more information about Spunkwear masks, contact Sheilah@spunkwear.com.  You can see the available prints and solids by visiting Spunkwear.com and Southwindapparel.com.

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For over 50 years, the Neighborhood Service Center (NSC), Inc., Talbot County’s designated Community Action Agency, has worked to improve the quality of life both socially and economically for low-income residents in Talbot County by equipping them with the tools and potential for becoming self-sufficient.

Talbot County Councilman Frank Divilio, who is the Council representative on the Board of NSC, wanted to recognize the organization’s achievements on behalf of the County Council because the official celebration for the event had to be postponed due to COVID-19. He comments, “The things this organization does to help individuals in need in Talbot County is selfless. Over Easter weekend, I saw a woman who was homeless and called Marilyn on the weekend to see what assistance she could offer. Marilyn helped the woman find housing that day. It used to be easier to see the persons in need, but they are more invisible now with all the challenges we are facing.”

“To me, that’s what makes Talbot County the most wonderful place to live – it’s the caring that happens here that makes it special,” he adds.

L-R: Megan Cook, Easton Town Council member, Treasurer of NSC, and a member of the NSC Board for 11 years; Marilyn Neal, Executive Director of NSC; and Talbot County Councilman Frank Divilio, who also serves on the Board of NSC.

Megan Cook, Easton Town Council member, Treasurer of NSC, and a member of the NSC Board for 11 years, joined Divilio in congratulating Marilyn Neal, Executive Director of NSC on the organization’s achievement. She adds, “This is a significant milestone to celebrate. It has been a privilege to serve on the Board for many years and to see the organization’s growth.

Neal recognizes that community support is critical to NSC’s mission, as well as crucial to keeping family units together. She adds, “Many of the issues we serve are generational. By changing one family at a time, we can stop poverty from being generational. Through COVID, we have been able to get new donors and supporters, allowing us to fill in the new gaps in services we are experiencing.”

Divilio projects that as things get worse with the pandemic, the needs are going to increase, stating, “This is one of the organizations Talbot County needs to watch and assist as it can. It will keep people in their homes, help feed them, and help them get the services they need.”

Neal reflects, “The County has been so supportive of the low-income residents in our community. That has been such a comfort to me going through what we do every day.”

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