Western Maryland Food Bank, Inc.

The Western Maryland Food Bank (WMFB) was established in July 1983 to help bring additional food into the tri-state area to assist several organizations to stretch their dollars. Since then, it has worked to enhance the food rescue and food distribution systems locally, addressing the invisible hunger in our community. Would you have ever dreamed that millions of pounds of supplemental foods could be disturbed to individuals in our area? Currently the WMFB provides support to over 100 organizations. The WMFB distributes food to local organizations, such a church pantries, day care centers, on-site feeding programs, emergency assistance organizations, etc. The Western Maryland Food Bank networks with Feeding America, formally known as America's Second Harvest, an umbrella food rescue organization that identifies food normally discarded in the supply distribution chain, yet is still usable, and is then gathered for potential use. Some companies make an item that, for whatever reason , doesn't sell well. Food banks all over the nation benefit by Feeding America's gleaning. Overstocks, outdated items, etc., all can be passed along for potential use. The WMFB has a dedicated group of volunteers who inspect food items and prepare them for distribution. Volunteers and staff assist the agencies in picking and placing their orders and then loading their vehicles. The WMFB started with a few volunteers driving a personal van to Baltimore to the Maryland Food Bank to get food. Then they rented some square footage at a local meat processing facility to store food, in order to have refrigerated space. Next, they found a trucker who was willing to pick up food at the Maryland Food Bank on his way home to Cumberland. The WMFB has grown, step by step, from a half-day per month to a daily operation. Another blessing, with the help of many local supporters, state and federal agencies, and a large gift from the Weinberg Foundation, has been to expand from very limited storage ability to 20,000 feet of warehouse, refrigerated and administrative space. The Western Maryland Food Bank continues to serve our community, distributing products to our member agencies. These agencies serve 10,000-13,000 individuals monthly.