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The State of Food Pantries in Talbot County: Meeting Rising Needs with Faith, Grace, and Grit
On a brisk Friday morning, volunteers at St. Mark’s Food Pantry at Brookletts Place Senior Center move with quiet purpose. Bags of produce, canned goods, and staples fill tables as cars line up outside. Catherine Poe, chair of the Talbot County Hunger Coalition and the Friday distribution overseer, smiles at familiar faces.
“We serve about 30 Latino families, with most of the others being seniors,” Poe said. “We rarely see a homeless person here, but we do see a handful of the working poor who often come at 8 a.m. before work.”
She says the drive-through pantry is facilitated by a group of volunteers who set-up outside whether it’s a hot, humid day in July, or on bone-chilling days in February.
Across Talbot County, from Trappe to Tilghman, food pantries like that at Brookletts Place are lifelines for thousands of residents. Volunteers, often retirees themselves, are the backbone of a system that has expanded dramatically since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Neighborhood Service Center, Easton
At the Neighborhood Service Center in Easton, Executive Director Andy Hollis describes a steady and urgent rise in need among Talbot County residents.
The NSC serves the entire county and focuses on improving the quality of life, both socially and economically, for low-income qualifying residents.
“Our mission has not changed, but the number of low-income qualifying residents has grown significantly,” Hollis said.
The growth in demand has been stark. In September 2024, the NSC pantry served 87 households and 192 individuals. By September 2025, that number doubled to 174 households and 428 individuals.
“These are our highest numbers of demand in the past year,” Hollis said. “We have seen exponential growth each year at an alarming rate.”
Food supplies come primarily from the Maryland Food Bank, along with government grants and community donations. Fresh produce and culturally appropriate foods remain the largest gaps.
Staffing poses the greatest operational challenge, while transportation and language barriers often hinder clients from seeking help. The NSC workforce is small, and volunteers —typically 2 to 3 per week —help with packing, inventory, and client services.
“All age groups come to us, including seniors, families with children, and the working poor,” Hollis said. “Approximately 25 percent of the people we serve are experiencing homelessness, and our unhoused population continues to grow.”
The Center currently meets all requests for assistance, but Hollis emphasizes the precarious nature of operating amid rising need and costs.
“We all have an obligation to highlight the needs of those most vulnerable now more than ever,” he said. “The need to help our neighbors has never been greater.”
Monetary donations, volunteers, and advocacy are the Center’s greatest needs. With additional support, Hollis said the NSC would increase mobile food services and expand outreach.
“The obvious fear is that our most needy in Talbot County will go hungry,” he said. “Our children, our seniors, and those either in or on the cusp of poverty.”
St. Vincent de Paul of Easton
Pantry Manager Kate Mansfield has volunteered at St. Vincent de Paul for eight years. “We just completed a five-year strategic plan,” she said. “Our mission is about doing what we’re called to do—to serve those in need who live in Talbot County with love, dignity, and respect.”
Mansfield said 53 percent of households who depend on SVdP have children under 18. Demand continues to rise. “People are coming more often—three times a month now, up from twice. And we’re welcoming an average of 35 new families per month.”
Mansfield said the pantry’s approach offers the neighbors food choices. “We type up a new menu each day we’re open so neighbors can choose what they want, like fresh produce, frozen vegetables, milk, and other items,” she says. “It’s about respecting their preferences and doing our best to honor them.”
The pantry also brings moments of celebration. “One mom told us it was her daughter’s birthday,” Mansfield said. “After lighting the candles on a cake, all the volunteers sang to the young girl. We try to connect with the people – and bring some joy to the experience whenever we can.”
St. Mark’s Food Pantry at Brookletts Senior Center
Chairman John Morris described a steady increase in need. “Last month we served 763 clients, up 30 percent over the year,” he said. “We buy 100 percent of our dry goods and frozen meat from the Maryland Food Bank. Our biggest gaps are dairy and produce.”
Poe praises the teamwork among Talbot’s food pantries and encourages donors to be informed about local needs. She says donations to help pantries purchase a well-balanced bag of groceries go much further than a can of crushed tomatoes, for example, which she says is the most common food donation received.
“Monetary donations to our local food pantries can help more because they can buy in bulk, directly through the Maryland Food Bank.”
SNAP benefit reductions have many clients worried. “People tell us about losing their cars, nearly losing their homes, or raising their great-grandchildren. They are scared and angered,” Poe said.
Royal Oak Food Pantry
In Royal Oak, JR Burkhardt, a high school counselor and volunteer, runs what he calls “the only 24/7 food pantry in Talbot County.” The pantry began in 2020 during the pandemic and continues to serve about 30 to 40 people weekly—anonymously.
“People use it after dark to remain anonymous,” Burkhardt said. “We distribute about 150 pounds of food per week and work with schools to prepare food baskets for families during holidays.”
Funding remains a challenge. “As the pandemic ended, people must have assumed the need ended too,” he said. “We still get donations, but nowhere near as often as before. We spend about $15,000 to $20,000 a year.”
St. Michaels Community Center
Amy Horne, executive director of the St. Michaels Community Center, described her organization as a hub of service focused on people from Royal Oak to Tilghman Island, or the Bay Hundred area.
“We provide hot congregate meals, hot delivered meals, and a food pantry 3 days/week in addition to having a senior lunch on Tuesdays,” she says. “So far in 2025, we’ve provided more than 30,000 meals for Talbot County residents.”
SMCC depends on donations and partnerships. “We pick up food from St. Vincent de Paul twice a week,” Horne said. “We buy from the Maryland Food Bank and from local suppliers for our hot meals. Our biggest gaps are with dairy and proteins.”
She shared a story of an oyster tonger from Bozman. “He told me he has to choose between paying rent and buying food,” she said. “Programs like ours make that choice easier.”
Tilghman Food Pantry
At the county’s farthest point, Susan Roecker coordinates the Tilghman Food Pantry. “We provide meals, groceries, and even pet food,” she said, noting that Talbot Humane is generous in providing dog and cat food. “Most of our meal recipients are seniors—many in their late 80s and 90s.”
The pantry operates weekly, serving about 20 people with meals and 16 households through the pantry. “Five years ago, we were serving only four or five households each week,” she said.
Transportation is a challenge for island residents. “Our seniors receive very little SNAP benefits and struggle the most,” Roecker said. The pantry partners with St. Vincent de Paul, the St. Michaels Community Center, and Tilghman Elementary School to coordinate holiday meal boxes.
Pantry on the Go: Scotts United Methodist, Trappe
Naomi Thomas leads the Pantry on the Go program at Scotts United Methodist Church, under the spiritual guidance of its pastor, the Rev. Charles Albert Bell, Jr.
“Last month we served 275 individuals from 96 families,” Thomas said. “But the pounds of food we receive are going down—from about 11,000 in 2023 to as low as 4,000 this year.”
The pantry partners with the Maryland Food Bank for produce, purchasing or receiving donations for all else. “Starting next year, we’ll need to pay a $500 event fee for each monthly drop,” she said. “To continue, we’ll need about $6,000 for 2026, plus extra funds for proteins, dry goods, and dairy.”
Thomas credited her volunteers. “Talbot County has many retirees who want to support their neighbors,” she said. “Because of God’s blessings, we’ve been able to give out all the food we receive.”
The Shared Challenges
Every pantry depends, in part, on the Maryland Food Bank, which faces its own pressures. “The cost of food has increased at least 25 percent over the past couple of years,” Roecker said. “We’ve had to limit quantities of milk, eggs, and meat.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which funds the Emergency Food Assistance Program, currently faces tight or frozen budgets. Meanwhile, proposed cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) threaten to deepen food insecurity.
More than one in three Maryland households struggles to afford groceries, a figure likely higher on the Eastern Shore.
Hunger by the Numbers: The Broader Picture in Talbot County
The work of Talbot County’s food pantries reflects a larger, sobering reality. According to the Talbot County Hunger Coalition, 11 percent of county residents are food insecure, including 15 percent of children. Despite a low unemployment rate of 3.7 percent, hunger remains deeply rooted among working families, seniors, and those on fixed incomes.
Each week, nine food pantries and three meal providers across the county serve nearly 3,000 people, totaling 12,000 a month and 144,000 a year.
The cost of operating larger pantries can reach $8,000 to $10,000 monthly, straining budgets even as community fundraisers like Empty Bowls, which raised $42,000 last February, offer critical support.
Behind these statistics are the working poor —people holding jobs with wages that still don’t cover basic living expenses.
A full-time worker earning Maryland’s $15 hourly minimum wage brings in about $31,000 a year, far short of the $40,646 needed for a single person or the $92,262 required for a family of four to live in Talbot County, according to the MIT Living Wage Calculator.
For many, the math simply doesn’t work.
Nearly 30 percent of Talbot residents are seniors, and one in four relies solely on Social Security, averaging about $24,000 annually.
For them, as for many others, the choice between paying bills and putting food on the table is impossible. It’s a reminder that hunger in Talbot County is not only about poverty; it’s about people who work and contribute and still fall short in a place they call home.
Beyond Food: Dignity, Connection, and Hope
Each pantry emphasizes that its mission extends beyond food.
“At St. Vincent de Paul, we offer more than food,” Mansfield said. “There are a couple dozen cars in line before we open. It’s not because they’re afraid we’ll run out of food. They sit, read, pray, or nap. For them, we are a place of respite.”
On Tilghman Island, weekly meal deliveries often provide the only visit some seniors receive. “The meals keep them nourished and connected,” Roecker said. “It helps them live independently.”
Poe said volunteers bring heart to the mission. “Our volunteers treat everyone with dignity, and in return, they are treated with kindness,” she said.
“Over the years, we have received hot coffee, homemade change purses, homemade Christmas ornaments, flowers from their gardens, and recipes,” she says. “These small acts of kindness remind us we’re all part of one community.”
How Readers Can Help
Food insecurity in Talbot County touches working families, retirees, and children alike. Most pantries are volunteer-run and stretched thin. The need for support is urgent.
- Donate money. A few dollars go further through a local food pantry or the Maryland Food Bank than they do in retail purchases.
- Volunteer. Call your local pantry to ask when they need help.
- Donate smart. Before dropping off food, ask what items are most needed, which often include dairy, protein, and household items.
- Spread awareness. Share stories about hunger, volunteerism, and the fight to protect SNAP and statewide food bank funding.
The fight against hunger in Talbot County is quiet but constant, and often takes place in church kitchens, parking lots, and fellowship halls. In every pantry, hope is stocked alongside limited fresh produce and frozen meat.
“Without our community, we couldn’t do what we do,” Roecker said. “And without us, some of our neighbors wouldn’t eat.”
Every coordinator agreed on one message: money, time, and compassion are needed now more than ever.
“Donations of food aren’t enough,” Poe said. “A $5 donation goes further than a can from someone’s cupboard.”
For those wanting to contribute items to the pantry, Mansfield urges potential donors to call first.
“If people want to donate food, it’s always helpful to ask what’s needed,” she said. “Right now, we need cereal and toilet paper. Of course, we always welcome financial contributions to purchase what we need at any given time.”
“Volunteers are essential to the work of the pantry,” Mansfield said. “We welcome individuals, families, and students who wish to share their goodwill and good cheer to help.”
Thomas put it simply: “To continue feeding people, we’ll need community support — prayers, donations, and willing hands.”
Looking Forward: The Mid-Shore Food Alliance
A new Mid-Shore Food Alliance has been formed as a regional collaboration between Talbot, Caroline, and Dorchester counties that meets monthly to identify gaps in the food system and develop coordinated solutions related to food access, food waste, and overall food security.
The Alliance brings together nonprofit leaders, government partners, and community stakeholders to strengthen services and reduce duplication across the region.
Leslie Bishop of Mid-Shore Meals til Monday and Amy Horne of the St. Michaels Community Center serve as co-chairs, working with partners to build a more resilient and equitable food system for Mid-Shore residents. To learn more, email leslie@midshoremealstilmonday.org.
For more information about the Talbot County Hunger Coalition, including links to local pantries where donations can be made, visit www.feedtalbot.org.
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