A Story of Community, Compassion, and the
Birth of The Y in Central Maryland’s ‘Fresh Mart’
This week, a Y member walked through our doors with a special delivery from his church congregation, driven not by recognition, but by a quiet, selfless desire to help others around the holidays. In his hands was a plain envelope enclosing a check to support our Fresh Mart at the Y in Parkville, delivered personally to ensure it found its way as quickly as possible to those we serve.
This act reminds us that community begins with neighbors helping neighbors.
The spirit of care and connection is woven into the fabric of the Y in Central Maryland and defines who we are. In moments of change, large or small, our responsibility remains the same: to show up for those who need us.
It is this same commitment that brings us back to 2020, when the pandemic upended daily life, the demand for essential goods surged, and we felt a clear call to act. The pandemic did not just disrupt routines. It shook the foundation of daily life across the country. For many families, the uncertainty extended far beyond health concerns. It reached dinner tables, especially in communities where access to food had already been limited. In our surrounding neighborhoods, we saw food insecurity – a quiet but persistent challenge – intensify almost overnight.
At the Y in Central Maryland, meeting people where they are has always been core to our mission. We have long committed ourselves to efforts and initiatives that address community-specific health disparities. It guides how we respond, adapt, and show up for our neighbors in moments of calm and crisis alike. This was no different, and so we jumped in and organized large food distribution efforts at most of our Y family centers across the region, leveraging partnerships and Y volunteers just looking to do something helpful in such a challenging time during the statewide shutdown.
In partnership with local supporters, and powered by countless volunteers, we transformed Y parking lots into hubs of hope. Cars pulled up quietly. Volunteers placed bags of groceries in trunks. No qualifications. No questions asked. Only dignity, kindness, and relief during an uncertain and frightening time.
The impact was immediate. Families who never expected to need assistance suddenly had access to fresh groceries. Parents navigating job loss found stability for their children’s next meal. Seniors isolated by quarantine felt seen and supported. And volunteers, many facing their own challenges, found purpose in lifting up others.
It became clear that what started as an emergency response was becoming something more. This was a new way to strengthen the community. And with that understanding, the Fresh Mart was born. Once the statewide shutdown was lifted, the first one was opened at the Y in Druid Hill, which sits in a community that was particularly hard hit by the pandemic.
After the Y in Druid Hill, we expanded our Fresh Mart offering to our Ys in Pasadena, Parkville, and Westminster. And as the Fresh Mart grew, its purpose evolved as well.
As part of our ongoing commitment to neighborly care, we regularly look for ways to support our own associates, who do so much to serve our communities each day. As we saw the positive impact of the Fresh Marts, we recognized an opportunity to apply those same principles internally. This led to the creation of a Y-funded Associate Nutrition Hub, a separate initiative designed to give back to our team by providing free, accessible food in a way that supports overall health and wellness. Offered as one of many associate well-being benefits, the Associate Nutrition Hub reflects our belief that caring for those who care for others strengthens our entire organization.
An initial response to an unprecedented crisis evolved into a more permanent expression of how the Y supports the communities we serve. Today, the Fresh Mart is active within each of the original locations, working in tandem with the food pantries present at every Y Community School, which also offer goods to their local community members.
Inspired by the generosity of a Parkville Y member and church treasurer who chose to show up in an incredibly meaningful way, we are reminded that lasting impact begins with a single act of care.
We are deeply appreciative of the generous partners and funders who support this critical community work: Wellpoint, Maryland Food Bank, McCormick Flavor For Life, Caring Cupboard, Anne Arundel County Food Bank, Quest Diagnostics, Sprouts Farmers Market, University of Maryland Medical Center, Morgan State University and Westminster Rescue Mission. Each has provided invaluable resources, contributing to the 607,210 meals we have distributed in 2025 alone.
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