When the call went out that Talbot County had residents in need of food, Talbot County Government, businesses and citizens rallied to get the food to the people. Talbot County residents are being fed in increasing numbers each week by more than 11 food pantries across the County, Talbot County Public Schools (TCPS) meal distribution and CarePacks weekend bags home, the Neighborhood Service Center, Brookletts Place Senior Center, and Meals on Wheels.
A large donation of frozen chicken by Mountaire Farms rallied local businesses to help transport and store food for the coming weeks’ needs. According to Cathy Bassett, Director of Communications and Community Relations for Mountaire Farms in Millsboro, DE, when Maryland Delegate Johnny Mautz, District 37B, was contacted by Mountaire Farms about the need for donations, he asked for help for Talbot and Dorchester counties. Mountaire Farms responded with 280 cases or 11,200 pounds of frozen chicken, including wings, boneless legs, and thigh meat.
Bassett comments, “Mountaire regularly donates to over 40 food pantries monthly on the Delmarva Peninsula, in addition to special events being held. It’s a blessing to help so many people who are food insecure and those that can’t find food in the stores. Our workers have been doing an incredible job in challenging times,” she added.
“The chicken is packaged in 10-pound bags, so 1,120 families in Talbot County will be reached through this amazing spirit of teamwork and generosity,” said Jan Willis, Coordinator of the Local Care Team for Talbot County.
Local businesses such as Chesapeake Landing Restaurant rearranged their truck schedule and picked up 600 pounds of chicken from Mountaire Farms and delivered it to the Saint Vincent de Paul Food Pantry in Easton. The chicken will be shared with the Church of God’s Harvest of Hope Pantry and St. Michaels Community Center. Paris Foods picked up 10,600 pounds of chicken from Mountaire Farms which it is storing in its frozen storage unit until it is distributed to food pantries throughout the County. The Salvation Army also donated 100 boxes of non-perishable food to Meals on Wheels.
Chris Coursey, Plant Manager of Paris Foods, comments, “Paris Foods has a long-standing commitment to helping civic organizations within our county. We help provide resources to civic-minded groups when we can. When the opportunity arose to help the Department of Emergency Services with this project, we naturally jumped in and helped. In these uncertain times, it is imperative to provide help, when and where you can.”
Union Baptist Church at 233 Glenwood Avenue in Easton will have a drive-thru food distribution on Tuesday, March 31 for Talbot County residents and FREE Drive-thru, No Contact Farmers Markets will take place the same day from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Latitude 38 Bistro and Spirits in Oxford, with produce donated by Sysco, and from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the Public Parking Lot behind Pemberton’s Pharmacy in St. Michaels, with produce donated by Chris Agharabi on behalf of Ava’s Pizzeria & Theo’s Steaks & Sides. Scott’s United Methodist Church in Trappe served over 128 households with 6,103 pounds of food last week with a similar drive-thru style food distribution.
Free meals are being distributed on weekdays for children ages 2 through 18 through TCPS at the following meal pick-up locations in Talbot County from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. until after the Easter holiday. The drive-by/pick-up sites outdoors are Easton Middle School, Easton Elementary-Dobson, and St. Michaels Middle High School. For updated information, visit www.tcps.k12.md.us.
Dr. Kelly Griffith, Superintendent of Talbot County Public Schools states, “When I realized how many meals we would need to store in order to feed TCPS families, I contacted Geoff Turner, President and CEO of Choptank Transport in Preston to ask for help. He delivered a refrigerated trailer within the hour. My son works for Choptank and Geoff is a fellow Easton Rotarian, and they have partnered with TCPS on relief projects in the past. What an awesome company!”
“We can’t thank all the businesses and individuals who have stepped up to help with these extraordinary efforts. We now have over 300 volunteers signed up to help us, with more signing up every day. This is what is so special about Talbot County. When there are needs in our community, people meet them willingly,” Talbot County Council President Corey Pack adds.
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