Montgomery County Boosts Food Recovery Initiatives Amid Rising Demand for Assistance

The number of families struggling to put food on the table in Montgomery County, Maryland, is increasing. Local officials are working hard to ensure that no food collected goes to waste.

Heather Bruskin, director of Montgomery County’s Office of Food Systems Resilience, highlighted a troubling statistic: “Over 40% of our residents are potentially at risk for food insecurity.” This means many families lack consistent access to healthy food. Often, these families earn just enough to miss out on federal benefits but not enough to cover their basic expenses.

Food prices have been rising, adding more strain. Craig Rice, CEO of Manna Food Center, reported a noticeable increase in people seeking help. Many families who have been self-sufficient for years are returning for assistance due to these escalating costs. Manna is currently serving more than 106,000 residents monthly and is seeing new faces, including federal employees affected by recent layoffs.

The cuts at the U.S. Department of Agriculture have made things even tougher for regional food banks like the Maryland Food Bank and the Capital Area Food Bank. Although Manna doesn’t directly receive USDA grants, their partners do, meaning any setback for them impacts Manna and other smaller nonprofits working in food recovery.

To combat food waste and increasing demand, the county is ramping up its food recovery efforts. Bruskin mentioned that 25 partners needed help with transportation and cold storage to distribute food more efficiently. Grants are being offered for these improvements, with applications open until May 30, and additional funds are set aside in the county’s fiscal 2026 budget.

“We’re not necessarily spending more. We’re using our resources more strategically and creatively,” Bruskin said. As communities face these challenges, collaboration and innovative approaches are essential to ensuring that those in need have access to nutritious food.

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