Volunteers serve soup from local restaurants during a Talbot County Empty Bowls Community Dinner, where every bowl purchased helps fund local food pantries. Readers can take part by attending the Feb. 28 event or by making a monetary donation to support Talbot County families facing hunger. Tickets and more information are at www.talbotcountyemptybowls.org. Photo courtesy Talbot County Empty Bowls.
Hunger remains a daily reality for too many Talbot County residents, even as local food pantries, faith communities, and civic organizations work tirelessly to meet rising demand.
New data from the Talbot County Hunger Coalition highlights both the scale of need and the strength of coordinated community action during the 2025 holiday season, a period that placed additional strain on a system already operating at full capacity year-round.
In December alone, Talbot County’s network of food pantries served hundreds of families with Christmas meals, providing not only food but dignity and relief during a financially stressful time. These holiday distributions were in addition to the hundreds of meals and bags of groceries that pantries provide every week, as regular services continued uninterrupted throughout the season.
Hunger by the Numbers
St. Vincent de Paul of Easton served 426 families, representing 1,331 individuals, the highest number reported by any pantry. The Neighborhood Service Center provided full holiday meals to 160 families, while St. Mark’s Church served 104 families. Smaller pantries played an equally vital role, including Tilghman Helping Hands, which served 46 families, and Royal Oak Methodist Church, which supported 25 families.
Throughout the holiday season, many pantries across the county maintained their regular hours, ensuring consistent access for residents who rely on weekly food assistance. To further meet the needs of working individuals and families, the Neighborhood Service Center and St. Michaels Community Center added new evening hours, expanding access during a time when many households were juggling jobs, childcare, and rising expenses.
“These numbers tell a clear story,” said Catherine Poe, chair of the Talbot County Hunger Coalition. “Hunger in Talbot County does not discriminate by age, employment status, or zip code. We are seeing seniors on fixed incomes, working families, and people with disabilities all turning to pantries more often because food prices continue to rise.”
Pantry leaders across the county reported record demand not only during the holidays but throughout the year. Tilghman Helping Hands noted that both Thanksgiving and Christmas distributions set new records, with more families returning weekly than ever before.
This sustained response was carried out mainly by volunteers, many of whom stepped up during one of the busiest times of the year. In several cases, pantries operated entirely, or almost entirely, with volunteer support, coordinating food sourcing, packing, and distribution while balancing their own work and family responsibilities.
Despite these challenges, collaboration made a measurable difference. Donations from the public, special events, and Empty Bowls helped pantries stock shelves during the most demanding season of the year. Partnerships also extended beyond food.
Through the Tidewater Rotary’s FOLKS initiative, families received slow cookers to help stretch groceries into affordable, nutritious meals, particularly for children and seniors.
“Hunger is not just about access to food. It is about stability, health, and the ability for families to plan ahead,” said Nancy Andrew, executive director of Talbot Family Network. “When families have consistent access to food, children do better in school, seniors are healthier, and the entire community benefits. What we are seeing now is a warning sign that continued investment is essential.”
As 2026 begins, Talbot County remains fortunate to have nine food pantries serving residents year-round, but leaders stress that the system is under strain. Sustained support from policymakers, funders, and the community will be necessary to keep pace with demand and to address the root causes of food insecurity.
A Call to Action
Talbot Family Network and the Talbot County Hunger Coalition invite the community to be part of the solution by supporting Talbot County Empty Bowls, a signature fundraising organization helping to fill all of Talbot County’s food pantries.
Talbot County Empty Bowls is an all-volunteer-run, grassroots organization dedicated to raising funds and awareness to fight hunger and food insecurity in Talbot County. All donations go directly to local food pantries and hunger-relief organizations, ensuring community support has an immediate and local impact.
This year’s Talbot County Empty Bowls Community Dinner is set for Saturday, February 28, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Ticket holders can expect an evening of soup, desserts, and live music at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Easton, where they can choose a handcrafted bowl to keep before enjoying a variety of soups donated by local restaurants to benefit Talbot County food pantries.
Sponsorships are available, with event tickets for two seatings on sale beginning Jan. 12. Tickets, online donations, and more are at www.talbotcountyemptybowls.org.
Every bowl filled represents a neighbor helped and a community strengthened.
Donations to Empty Bowls directly support local pantries, ensuring they can continue to provide food to families, seniors, and individuals who need it most. With hunger on the rise, community support has never been more critical.
The Talbot County Hunger Coalition is part of Talbot Family Network, which serves as Talbot County’s Local Management Board and was established by the state of Maryland to improve coordination of services for children and families. TFN identifies local priorities, targets resources, and fosters collaboration across agencies and communities. More information is available at www.feedtalbot.org.
Francies Muth says
In a County with a population of just under 40,000, where the average household income is $121,378, I find it incredulous that there are nine (9) food pantries relying on donations and volunteers to feed it’s less than fortunate residents. The figure above doesn’t even come close to reflecting the wealth in this County. If we’re not able to collect property taxes from some of the wealthiest, there should be a surtax imposed (on non property tax paying homeowners) to support this ever growing need. This obviously wouldn’t be a popular solution; it, however, would ease the burden of the every day, tax-paying, hard-working, family- raising volunteers and the middle incomers and retirees who donate and donate and donate. Sadly and shamefully, I see this issue in our County as a microcosm of the state of our country!