The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) and Manna Food Center are asking Montgomery County residents to help fight hunger in Montgomery County. The annual Ride On Food Drive will take place from Sunday, May 25, to Saturday, May 31. Non-perishable food items can be dropped off on all Ride On, extRa, Flex and Flash buses. Riders who donate food will have their bus fare waived.
Food donations will also be accepted at five participating Montgomery County Public Libraries, the Wheaton Headquarters Building, the Leggett Executive Office Building and the Council Office Building.
MCDOT has conducted the food drive for more than 30 years in partnership with Manna Food Center.
“Food insecurity is a growing crisis in our region,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “More than a third of our County residents do not have reliable access to nutritious food and Federal budget cuts have left community food banks struggling to fill the need. I have been working with County offices and community partners on a number of initiatives to address the need, including a partnership with Instacart and a food waste recovery program through the County Office of Food Systems Resilience, but there is an urgent need for us all to do our part. I encourage anyone who is able, to donate non-perishable food items on County buses, or at any of the drop-off centers, between May 25 and 31.”
Food collected during the drive will be distributed by Manna Food Center through its network of locations across the County. Last year, Manna Food Center donated more than four million pounds of food to more than 60,000 participants.
“MCDOT has partnered with Manna Food Center for 32 years to help combat hunger in Montgomery County,” said MCDOT Director Chris Conklin. “Last year, the Ride On Food Drive collected more than 2,000 pounds of food for Manna Food Center. We hope to collect even more this year. We know there is an even greater need in our community, so I hope those who are able to contribute will do so.”
In addition to County Ride On buses, food donations will also be accepted at the following locations:
- Davis Library, 6400 Democracy Boulevard , Bethesda.
- Gaithersburg Library, 18330 Montgomery Village Avenue , Gaithersburg.
- Long Branch Library, 8800 Garland Avenue , Silver Spring.
- Montgomery County Leggett Executive Office Building, 101 Monroe Street , Rockville.
- Olney Library, 3500 Olney-Laytonsville Road , Olney.
- , Rockville.
- Wheaton Headquarters Building, 2425 Reedie Drive , Wheaton.
- White Oak Library, 11701 New Hampshire Avenue , Silver Spring.
Manna Food Center is a leader in the fight against hunger and food waste in Montgomery County. Through innovative partnerships and solutions, Manna collects food and delivers it to families in need through pop-up pantries, school-based programs, education and community food rescue and a Farm to Food Bank program.
For updates and link to press release, see here: http://www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgportalapps/Press_Detail.aspx?Item_ID=47114