Speech and Testimony
County Executive Leggett’s Remarks at the Interfaith Forum on Hunger
Interfaith Works Clothing Center, 751 Twinbrook Parkway, Rockville
As prepared
Good evening!
It is my pleasure to participate in this Interfaith Forum on Hunger.
I would like to thank the Neighbors in Need Working Group and the Montgomery County Food Council for this effort to inform and engage faith communities in effectively caring for the hungry.
Also, thanks to Interfaith Works and the presenters here today who provide resources to the most vulnerable and hungry in our community.
Your committed efforts and the partnerships with faith communities make significant strides in combating hunger in our County.
Montgomery County is not immune to hunger. Thousands of residents right here in our backyard, are struggling daily to find their next meal. During the past 12 years of my administration we have focused on supporting hunger related programs in the County.
The partnerships we have established between government and nonprofits in community service have proven to be effective; but much more needs to be done.
We established a 5-Year Strategic Plan for making Montgomery County Food Secure that includes over $500,000 in FY18 & 19 funding for weekend bag and summer meals for children and expanded cold box meals for Seniors.
It also includes over $500,000 in new private funding through initiatives like Business Leaders Fighting Hunger supporting programs like Food is Medicine, which implements food insecurity screenings and assistance referrals in healthcare settings.
Another accomplishment was made by the Silver Spring United Methodist Church partnering with Manna Food Center.
Together, they refurbished a commercial kitchen in which Marriott International chefs volunteer cooking session with Kind Works to expand healthy offerings through the Community Food Rescue program.
The Montgomery County Food Council, Department of Health and Human Services, Community Action Agency and Maryland Hunger Solutions have created a new Senior SNAP and Hunger Outreach Program.
Although this Hunger Forum is another example of what we envisioned for the Faith Community Advisory Council, forging collaboration to maximize individual efforts, we must continue to encourage collaboration between government and nonprofits serving the common good.
Today, I am delighted that we unveil a new tool that will make it easier for our nonprofit partners to collaborate more effectively.
This technology should bring us closer together to eradicating hunger among our neighbors.
The Geographic Information Systems Map shows every faith community in Montgomery County and provides information for collaborative work.
Thanks to Geographic Information Systems and Mansfield “Kasey” Kaseman, the County’s Interfaith Community Liaison, who administered the effort to identify 767 faith communities in Montgomery County and develop this digital map.
I encourage all of you to utilize this new map as a way of checking out your neighbors, learning about their mission programs, identifying ways you may help one another.
Making Montgomery County Hunger-Free and connecting more faith communities with existing programs continues to be the core of our government and nonprofit service.
Thank you!
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Release ID: 18-090
November 13; 6:30 p.m.