Westminster Rescue Mission launches dine-out program to assist with food insecurity

Thousands of residents in Carroll County skip meals, eat less and often run out of food, according to the Westminster Rescue Mission. To assist those with food insecurity, the rescue mission, the largest food re-distributer in the county, has launched Plates of Plenty.

The nonprofit is partnering with four restaurants to encourage diners to add a donation to their final bill. Each restaurant will forward donations to the organization’s Mission Food Program to purchase, store and provide meat, fresh produce, dairy and dry goods to food pantries, soup kitchens, local charities and agencies across the county.

• Greenmount Station,1631 N. Main St., Hampstead; through July 31
• Maggie’s Restaurant, 310 E. Green St., Westminster; through July 31
• Twin Arch Tavern, 1001 Twin Arch Road, Mount Airy; through July 31
• Liberatore’s, 6300 Georgetown Blvd., Eldersburg; July 21-27.

“There is a real crisis in the safety network for providing food,” Stephanie Halley, chief executive officer for the rescue mission stated in a news release. “Inflation for food and fuel – truly must-buy products – has reduced spending power for households just as governments are sunsetting COVID-era policies that provided direct financial relief to families and supported supply through food bank networks and the school systems.”

As of March, the rescue mission estimates that more than 15,000 people in the county are considered “food insecure.” The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines food insecurity as not having consistent access to nutritious food to live a healthy life. This can include worrying about not having enough food, eating less, running out of food, skipping meals and cutting meal portions.

“We are timing Plates of Plenty for the summer, which Feeding America cites as the hungriest time of the year,” Halley said. “In Carroll County, 27% of enrolled students were enrolled in meal [subsidy] programs for the 2023-2024 school year.

“When schools are closed for the summer, families who rely on free or reduced-price meals [at schools] to stretch their family grocery bill, are faced with a 12-week budget crunch,” she said.

In 2023 , the Mission Food Program distributed 1,040,827 pounds of food to pantries and soup kitchens in the county, Halley said, and helps, on average, 4,800 individuals each month.

The program also maintains a Free Food Resource Guide on its website, which lists food pantries and free meals by both town and day of the week across the county.