When you work at a library, you learn to recognize different kinds of hunger. There’s a hunger for information, and there’s also the literal hunger of a customer grabbing a snack off one of our teen snack carts. There’s a hunger in the lines of people visiting the Anne Arundel County Food Bank’s new mobile food pantry monthly at four of our library branches. There’s the hunger that brings a caregiver to get formula from the Discoveries Community Pantry. We all learn better when our basic needs are met, and that’s why we are working with our community partners to help end food insecurity as Anne Arundel County becomes the best place for all.
One of the ways we support this work is through our many food distribution partnerships. We work with local food pantries, food banks and nonprofits; this includes library staff going to partner sites with library resources and library locations serving as food collection and distribution sites. One partnership example is Caring Cupboard, who placed their first Little Free Pantry (LFP) at Linthicum Library in 2019. It was the first official Little Free Pantry placed in Anne Arundel County! We now have 10 LFPs at our branches and are working on installing an 11th at the new Riviera Beach Library. Check out Caring Cupboard’s website to find or create a LFP in your neighborhood.
Another core partner is Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS), especially their Summer Mobile Meals. AACPS serves lunch during the summer months to neighborhoods throughout the county. Thursday is free book day, and Anne Arundel County Public Library (AACPL) partners with AACPS Media Services to follow the meal vans and hand out free books to kids picking up their lunch each Thursday during the summer. These books support our Summer @ Your Library program and Kindergarten Readiness initiative.
Agriculture is another key component of food security, and we are fortunate to have a plethora of amazing local businesses and nonprofits supporting this work. FarmUnity, a local nonprofit, is a great example. FarmUnity started with building two gardens totaling 4,500 sq. ft. at Crofton Library to address low access to food in the area as well as food deserts around the county. The gardens slowly took shape, and they have now built a greenhouse where seedlings are grown to sow. This project provides fresh produce for the local community during their twice-yearly harvest and teaches kids who visit the library how vegetables grow from seeds.
September is Hunger Action Month, a nationwide effort to raise awareness about hunger in America and inspire people to take action. Learn about the many food resources we offer at AACPL supporting this goal, and join us in our pursuit to end hunger in Anne Arundel County.
Published September 5, 2024