The Montgomery County Office of Food Systems Resilience (OFSR) announced the allocation of $3,549,500 in grant awards through the Fiscal Year 2025 Community Food Assistance (CFA) Program to support 48 food assistance provider organizations that collectively serve nearly 165,000 County residents each month.
The CFA Program was developed as an innovative, community-driven approach to address persistent food security challenges in Montgomery County. This program funds grants to food assistance provider organizations that have provided regularly scheduled services, on at least a monthly basis for a minimum of two years at County-based sites, for the procurement and distribution of shelf-stable foods, produce and/or prepared meals to Montgomery County residents.
The goal of the CFA model is to maintain a solid foundation of assistance services for residents while also closing service gaps, enhancing program impact, standardizing data collection and strengthening the capacity of the provider network. The organizations receiving funding through the CFA program range in their scope and service delivery model and collectively reach every zip code in the County.
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“Montgomery County’s food security network relies on robust, strategic partnerships with community organizations that have a deep understanding of our region’s unique geographic and demographic diversity,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “By investing in the day-to-day operations of food assistance provider organizations, we build their capacity to address the root causes of hunger, amplify their efforts and ensure immediate, meaningful results while fostering deeper connections within our community.”
The CFA program reflects the next implementation phase of the County government’s post-pandemic strategy to support the estimated 30 percent of residents at risk for hunger by building upon the Food Staples Program, which was launched by the County’s COVID-19 Food Security Task Force in 2020. Through the CFA grants, awardees who are previous Food Staples partners will receive credits to order produce, shelf-stable products and other nutritious food items through Manna Food Center and Capital Area Food Bank and/or grants to directly purchase these items from vendors of their choice.
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Priority in funding was offered to organizations that operate a choice-model for food distribution that provides clients with access to a variety of culturally relevant, shelf-stable and fresh food options; demonstrate cultural and linguistic proficiency; support the local food economy through purchasing partnerships with County farms, locally owned retailers and/or DMV-region businesses owned/operated by individuals representing historically underserved communities; and commit to participating in technical assistance related to food waste reduction, data collection and/or peer learning.
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“This program builds resilience in our community by both strengthening the stability of essential food assistance services for County residents in culturally inclusive, trusted spaces, while also investing in expanded local food production, economic opportunity and nutritious food access that will benefit all residents for decades to come,” said Heather Bruskin, director of OFSR.
In preparation for the launch of the CFA program, the OFSR led a series of meetings and listening sessions with key partners. The meetings were essential in gathering input on resource needs within the food assistance sector that directly shaped the grant program application. In addition to a virtual information session and outreach through the Montgomery County Food Council’s Food Security Community convenings, OFSR staff offered more than 50 one-to-one technical assistance sessions to support prospective applicants.
The funded programs align with the equity focus areas identified by Montgomery Planning, ensuring that assistance reaches diverse communities through community-based partners that are accessible and responsive to unique needs. The OFSR will be collecting monthly and quarterly data from all grantees to determine the impact of the investment over the year-long grant term and will collaborate closely with funded partners to continue strengthening the effectiveness of the program as community indicators shift.
For updates and link to press release, see here: http://www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgportalapps/Press_Detail.aspx?Item_ID=46210