For Immediate Release: Thursday, June 30, 2022
County and community leaders unite to begin developing holistic solutions to end childhood hunger in Montgomery County
ROCKVILLE, Md., June 30, 2022—On Thursday, July 7 at 12:30 p.m. Council President Albornoz will host a press conference to ensure food security for residents with a goal to end childhood hunger in Montgomery County. Elected leaders, representatives from the Montgomery County Food Council, and food assistance providers will discuss the establishment of an Office of Food Systems Resilience in Montgomery County and other forthcoming actions.
Council President Albornoz, at the request of the County Executive, recently introduced a bill to create an Office of Food Systems Resilience as a non-principal office of the Executive Branch. The Council approved funding to create this office as part of the FY23 Budget with a provision to enhance grant funding for food assistance programs and $4 million in one-time funding to continue to directly provide food to individuals and families in greatest need.
In addition, following a special appropriation led by Council President Albornoz to develop a county government Strategic Plan to Address Childhood Hunger, the Montgomery County Food Council will be serving as the project manager for this effort with the aim to build upon County-based strategies in the County Food Security Plan and the work of the County’s Food Security Task Force by incorporating feedback from stakeholders, subject matter experts and residents. The report will identify food access barriers and strategies to reduce food insecurity across all childhood age groups, develop recommendations to systemically address childhood hunger and identify metrics for success.
Who: Montgomery County Council President Gabe Albornoz, Councilmember Will Jawando, Assistant Chief Administrative Officer Dr. Earl Stoddard, Director of Food Access Initiatives for the Montgomery County Food Council Allison Schnitzer.
What: Press conference to highlight forthcoming countywide efforts to better identify food access barriers and strategies to reduce food insecurity across all groups in Montgomery County.
When: Thursday, July 7, 2022, at 12:30 p.m.
Why: To showcase efforts and upcoming initiatives to bolster food security in Montgomery County.
Where: Front steps of the Montgomery County Council Office Building, located at 100 Maryland Ave., Rockville MD., 20850. Inclement weather location will be the conference room on the fourth floor of the Council Office Building.
Parking is available in the public parking garage at the Council Office Building and can be accessed via the entrance located directly off East Jefferson Street. Metered on-street parking is also available on Monroe Street and on Maryland Avenue near the Montgomery County Circuit Court.
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