Catholic Charities Awarded $7,000 from Maryland Food Bank

January 30, 2024 – Wilmington DE – The Maryland Food Bank awarded Catholic Charities a $7,000 Food First Capacity Grant to address ongoing food storage issues at the Seton Center.  The grant will support the acquisition of an enclosed trailer that will primarily be used to store non-perishable food items while the food in the Seton Center’s food pantry is rotated and distributed. The trailer will also be used to assist with large donation pickups.

The short-term goal for this initiative is to allow the Seton Center to benefit from larger donations. Because of the current capacity limitations, Catholic Charities is restricted in its ability to pick up and store items, making it impossible to accept all the donations available.  The funding from the Maryland Food Bank will provide needed space for storage, which will allow Catholic Charities to address the growing need for food more effectively. 

The long-term goal for the project is to increase Catholic Charities’ ability to offer expanded food options through the CHOICE program. Additionally, the trailer will increase the overall amount of food available for distribution, enabling Catholic Charities to serve Crisfield on a monthly basis. The grant will allow Catholic Charities to reach Crisfield residents who lack private transportation or are otherwise unable to travel to the Seton Center. The grant also offers the potential to purchase wheeled carts to replace current carts, which need frequent repairs because of their age and the demands of constant usage. 

Samantha Wallace, Board Member and Interim Executive Director of Catholic Charities, notes “Catholic Charities is grateful for the $7,000 grant provided by the Maryland Food Bank. This award will allow Catholic Charities to better meet the needs of our food insecure neighbors and extend services where residents face limited access to nutritional support.”

Catholic Charities’ Seton Center is a multi-purpose neighborhood community center which offers a food cooperative and an emergency food pantry.  Seton Center has a Basic Needs program which supports families and individuals at risk of becoming homeless, family strengthening and case management services, a thrift center, and other essential programs. For more information about Seton Center, please go to https://www.ccwilm.org/seton-center. Additional information can be found at the agency’s website at https://www.ccwilm.org or by calling your local Catholic Charities office.