Food Security

St. Mary’s County Food Pantries Flyer (revised 11/2025)
St. Mary’s County Food Connection Map
2022 St. Mary’s County Food Security Report
2025 St. Mary’s County Food Security Report Update

If you come across updated food pantry information, we invite you to share it with us at stmaryspartnership@gmail.com so we can maintain an accurate directory of resources.

Food security is defined by the United States Department of Agriculture as access by all people at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life. Food insecurity is associated with numerous adverse social and health outcomes. Key drivers of food insecurity include unemployment, poverty, and income shocks, which can prevent adequate access to food.

In 2020, 9.6% of St. Mary’s County residents and 9.6% of children in St. Mary’s County were considered to be food insecure (Map the Meal Gap, Feeding America, 2020). Feeding America estimates that 18% of Black and 12% of Latino/Hispanic residents were considered to be food insecure in 2020. They also estimate that 43% of food insecure people in St. Mary’s County were above the SNAP and other nutrition programs threshold of 200% poverty and 26% of food insecure children in St. Mary’s County were likely ineligible for federal nutrition programs.

2025 Federal Government Shutdown Food Security Resources

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits may not be distributed on November 1, 2025, due to the ongoing federal government shutdown. This potential interruption could impact more than 11,000 county residents who rely on SNAP benefits for access to food and groceries.

During this time, we encourage those who are able to donate to county food pantries to help support neighbors in need. Every contribution, whether food, funds, or time, helps strengthen our community. The St. Mary’s County Libraries will serve as a centralized drop-off point for donations to be distributed throughout the community. Donations can also be made directly to local pantries or through Feed St. Mary’s.

Community members affected by the lapse in benefits can access the following resources and supports:

  • Local Food Pantries – Please see this flyer of local food pantries in St. Mary’s County, organized by town.
  • The Healthy St. Mary’s Partnership Food Security Text Program allows residents of St. Mary’s County to receive weekly texts that include information on free food distribution events, food pantries, and healthy, low-cost recipes.
  • Maryland Access Point (MAP) provides a single point of entry to information and referral services, long-term care planning, and connecting caregivers of older adults and adults with disabilities to services offered by the Department of Aging & Human Services.
    • View the Resource Guide for Older Adults.
    • Contact the St. Mary’s County MAP Coordinator at 301-475-4200 ext. 1057.
  • The St. Mary’s County Public Schools Free and Reduced Lunch Program will continue to provide meals to those students already enrolled in the program.
  • St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Community Outreach: Members of the Sheriff’s Office COPs Unit will host food drives on Thursday, November 6, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Food Lion on Merchants Lane in Leonardtown and Giant on First Colony Way in California to help replenish local food pantries and support families in need.

The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office also urges residents to be vigilant for potential scams related to SNAP benefits. Scammers may pose as government representatives or assistance providers to collect personal information, PINs, or EBT card numbers. Residents should never share personal or account information over the phone, by text, or online unless they have verified the source.

Food Security Subcommittee

In 2021, the Environmental Health Action Team of the Healthy St. Mary’s Partnership launched a food security subcommittee to further address food security in St. Mary’s County. This team initially worked to develop the St. Mary’s County Food Access Map to help community members find food resources closest to them.

In 2022, the HSMP Food Security Subcommittee used quantitative and qualitative methods to systematically collect and analyze data to better understand food insecurity within our community. The results of this assessment are compiled into the 2022 St. Mary’s County Food Security Report and the data will inform community action.

The State Partnerships Improving Nutrition and Equity program in Maryland is a national project of the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors that is 100 percent supported under the State Partnerships Improving Nutrition and Equity program, which is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $2 million with 100 percent funded by CDC/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government.