The Montgomery County Office of Food Systems Resilience (OSFR) announced Monday that it will support 45 food assistance programs with the allocation of $3,549,500 in grant awards through the Fiscal Year 2025 Community Food Assistance (CFA) Program.
The CFA initiative was developed to address food insecurity with a community-driven approach and provides grants to food assistance provider organizations that have regularly scheduled services for a minimum of two years at County-based sites for procurement and distribution of shelf-stable foods, produce and prepared meals. The organizations receiving funding through the program reach every zip code.
“Montgomery County’s food security network relies on robust, strategic partnerships with community organizations that have a deep understanding of our region’s unique geographic and demographic diversity,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “By investing in the day-to-day operations of food assistance provider organizations, we build their capacity to address the root causes of hunger, amplify their efforts and ensure immediate, meaningful results while fostering deeper connections within our community.”
The effort is part of the county’s post-pandemic strategy to support the 30% of residents at risk for hunger. It builds on the Food Staples Program launched in 2020. Former Food Staples participants will receive credits to order produce and shelf-stable items from Manna Food Center and Capital Area Food Bank or use the grants to purchase items from their chosen vendors.
Priority for funding was given to organizations that:
- Offer culturally relevant and fresh food options.
- Demonstrate cultural and linguistic proficiency.
- Support the local food economy by partnering with county farms, local retailers, or businesses owned by underserved communities.
- Commit to technical assistance in areas such as food waste reduction, data collection, or peer learning.
The program aligns with Montgomery Planning’s priorities to ensure support reaches diverse communities through accessible, community based partners. The OSFR will collect monthly and quarterly data from grantees to assess the impact of the grants and work to adapt it as community needs evolve.
The OSFR held meetings and listening sessions with key partners to gather input on the food assistance sector’s needs in preparation for the program launch. They provided over 50 one-on-one technical assistance sessions for applications and hosted a virtual information session.
The full list of awardees can be found at the OSFR website.
