Rotarians help move food to the Haven Ministries headquarters and food pantry truck. From left, Martha Wentz Kendall, Semene Gilden, Bill Chesshire and Rich Graves.
Rotarians help move food to the Haven Ministries headquarters and food pantry truck. From left, Martha Wentz Kendall, Semene Gilden, Bill Chesshire and Rich Graves.
CENTREVILLE – The Centreville Rotary Club recently completed a project addressing food insecurity among underserved communities in northern Queen Anne’s County. The club provided more than $3,000 in funding — and nearly half of the club’s 39 members contributed service hours — to support the Food Pantry Truck operated by Haven Ministries in the Sudlersville area. Haven Ministries is a Mid-Shore non-profit whose mission is to provide hope through shelter, clothing, food and support for individuals in need.
With an increasing Hispanic population in the northern portion of the County, Haven Ministries identified a need for culturally relevant foods such as corn maseca flour and black beans. The Centreville Rotary Club readily stepped in to support the purchase of these foods to be distributed through the food pantry truck for a four month period. With the support of the Rotary grant, an average of 72 households and 160 family members benefitted each month from the food available to them at the mobile food pantry.
Additionally, between September and November, Centreville Rotary Club members donated their time to help Haven Ministries in offering vehicles and manpower to transport food items received from the Maryland Food Bank to the Haven Ministries Headquarters located in Queenstown and to the food pantry truck.
Centreville Rotary Club President Judy Price noted, “Our Club was honored and delighted to assist Haven Ministries in helping serve the needs of individuals and families in the Sudlersville area who greatly depend on the food pantry truck for nutritional support. Helping address food insecurity in our community is one of the key priorities of the Club.”
Peter Grim, Executive Director of Haven Ministries thanked the Club for its efforts, “On behalf of Haven Ministries and our governing board, thanks very much to the Centreville Rotary Club for your contribution of time and funding toward our goal to provide culturally relevant food to our Food Pantry Truck in Sudlersville. Increasing food prices and a struggling economy have brought about an increase in the needs of this vulnerable population so this support is in great need and couldn’t have been provided at a better time.”
The Centreville Rotary Club was established in 1927 with its “Service above Self” motto and is known for its Rotary House benefitting certain families in need; scholarships and leadership programs for high school students, dictionaries for third graders, Wells for Life, and for supporting a wide variety of organizations in Queen Anne’s County. The Club also participates in national and international projects including the worldwide elimination of polio, a signature project for Rotary. The Club meets at 7:30 a.m. on Thursdays at the Centreville United Methodist Church and welcomes members of the public to visit and learn how its “hands-on” service impacts the community.
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another
person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone
or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism
that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on
each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness
accounts, the history behind an article.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.