Rising food prices. Cuts to critical assistance programs. Lingering economic uncertainty.
Together, these forces have created a perfect storm of heartache, further fueling the dramatic rise in food insecurity across the country. Here in Maryland, since the days of the COVID pandemic, one in three residents continues to struggle to afford basic necessities.
At a time when our nation faces many urgent challenges, tackling food insecurity stands apart as both fundamental and unifying. Without consistent access to nutritious food, we can’t make meaningful progress in addressing issues like education, public health or economic opportunity.
What does food insecurity actually look like in Maryland?
It’s families making painful choices between groceries and rent, or child care and dinner. It means nearly 40% of Marylanders are working, but don’t earn enough to meet their basic needs. On average in 2024, nearly 1 in 3 Maryland adults said their children were sometimes or often not eating enough because food was not affordable.
We’ve also seen record activity in Google and Maryland Food Bank’s (MFB) “Find Food” webpage searches, which have more than doubled since last year. These aren’t just statistics. They represent people turning to our network for the first time. That surge signals a deepening crisis in the months and weeks to come.
This challenge isn’t temporary. It runs deeper and will require sustained collaboration across public and private sectors. That said, just as Marylanders have come together during hard times before, we can do it again.
As I prepare to step down after more than eight years leading the MFB, I am extremely proud of what we’ve built and clear-eyed about the work that still lies ahead.
Hunger takes a heavy toll — physically, mentally and socially. Without access to nutritious food, people face higher risks of chronic illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease. But hunger also carries less visible costs such as stress, shame and depression. It erodes the well-being of individuals and the resilience of communities. It drives up health care spending, reduces worker productivity and limits children’s ability to learn.
Investing in food security isn’t just compassionate, it’s also common sense. Food nourishes more than just bodies. It brings people together. It restores dignity. It builds strength. And programs to improve nutrition such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) work to reduce poverty and stimulate local economies.
Over the course of my tenure, we transformed MFB in profound ways. We expanded our team, deepened our expertise and shifted our focus from simply distributing food to addressing the root causes of hunger. Our renovated Halethorpe Farms Road facility now operates more efficiently and supports workforce development through a state-of-the-art culinary training program.
During the COVID pandemic, we adapted quickly. We created Mobile Markets, launched targeted meal programs and redesigned services to be more neighbor-centric. That urgency helped us develop what I call our “muscle of innovation,” one we continue to flex today.
We’ve built something strong because we’ve built it together with a wide range of partners and community members. Our food distribution efforts are supported by a network of 800 community-based organizations, large and small, in neighborhoods all across Maryland. We’ve also aligned ourselves with other like-minded organizations such as Meals on Wheels, United Way, Moveable Feast and YMCA to help expand our reach and deepen our impact.
Volunteers have been integral to our mission as well. Last year, nearly 6,800 volunteers contributed over 37,000 hours — a value of more than $1.3 million. And the food bank could not have purchased the nearly $24 million of nutritious foods without private and public donor support. It truly takes a village.
Food insecurity is now more visible and our role as a statewide leader has grown. More people recognize that hunger affects every aspect of life.
So, I invite you to be part of this work. Volunteer. Donate. Speak out. Food insecurity touches every part of our state and by working together, we can create a future where no Marylander goes to bed hungry.
Even as we face funding cuts and rising demand, the MFB stands stronger than ever thanks to our dedicated staff, generous supporters and the enduring spirit of the communities we serve.
It has been the privilege of a lifetime to lead this organization. I’m deeply grateful to the board for its trust, to our team for its tireless passion and commitment and to every Marylander who has volunteered or donated. We’ve made meaningful progress. But the fight continues.
With courage, compassion and collaboration we can build a Maryland where hunger has no place.
Carmen Del Guercio (carmen@mdfoodbank.org), president and CEO of the Maryland Food Bank, is stepping down from the role at the end of June.