Y Monthly Monday Mission Update — A new Y Fresh Mart!
When COVID descended upon us three and a half years ago, it made life harder for all of us. However, as is all too often the case, its direct and residual impact fell hardest on those who were already struggling to make ends meet. Suddenly, the essentials of life, which many take for granted, were more challenging to come by. Getting easy access to groceries was one glaring example. For those whose jobs were lost due to the shuttering of so much of the economy, access to food became uncertain. Recognizing this and honoring a long Y tradition of going where the needs are in our community, we built upon our already established meal programs in Y Community Schools and Head Start sites to launch a Y family center-based food distribution operation. What began as an emergency response has evolved into an ongoing and essential part of our healthy living and community-building work.
As further evidence of this evolution, this past week we cut the ribbon on our third Y Fresh Mart food pantry, this one housed in the Y in Parkville (the other two are at the Ys in Druid Hill and Pasadena). Over time, we will continue to grow this essential service and add it to many of our other Y family centers.
With the help of our wonderful volunteers and partners, McCormick Flavor for Life, The Maryland Food Bank, WellPoint and Hungry Harvest, so far this year we have provided over 147,000 meals to community members and we are firmly committed to continue to ensure that more people in our community have access to nutritious food.
Y Fresh Mart food pantries are stocked with a range of produce, meat and poultry, canned goods and essential toiletries. They are open to the public, not just Y members. More information may be found here.
Food and its cultural significance was one of the many ways our annual Welcoming Week was celebrated at Y family centers recently. With maps inviting members to mark their country of origin, storytelling and food, we celebrated our country of immigrants and thought about what it means to be a truly welcoming and inclusive community. At the Y, we believe in looking out for those in our community who need our help and that by inviting everyone into our Ys we take an important step forward in becoming “A Better Us.”
All the best,
John K. Hoey
President & CEO
The Y in Central Maryland