Increasing Food Security in Western Montgomery County

When our new refrigerated van took its maiden voyage to our Poolesville partners, the temperature was in the high 90s, but the produce and dairy stayed fresh and cooled in the 40 degree chilled air.

We made our first stop at the Poolesville Little Free Pantry (PLFP). The Little Free Pantry systems work the same way as the Little Free Libraries - if you have food to share, place it in the box. If you are hungry, take what you need. The folks at Poolesville Presbyterian Church maintain their pantry in a more active manner, encouraging locals to share their pantry items and excess freshly grown produce. They also purchase what food they can, then stock the pantry at least twice a day since the need is so great and many people use it all hours of the day.

Mike and Sarah Defnet, PLFP Co-Coordinators wrote, “We are so grateful for KPC Buddhist Relief’s delivery yesterday of 755 pounds of food! They are our largest community partner and have now delivered over 13,000 pounds of food since the start of 2024! They provide many items that otherwise would be difficult to stock on a regular basis like condiments, coffee, tortillas, canned tomatoes, evaporated milk, refried beans, cooking oil, milk, cheese, and nuts, along with many of our regular staples like peanut butter, jelly, soup, onions, apples, oranges, carrots, and potatoes.”

We then drove the half block to WUMCO Help, where we unloaded the produce and dairy items to support their summer food program, which supports 24 local families. We delivered oranges, apples, bananas, and sliced cheese for children's lunches, and eggs from our Happy Hens to support their other clients -- a total of 380 pounds of food, much of which would be distributed to the families the next day.

Both WUMCO Help and the PLFP provide a much-needed service to the residents of this part of the county, and Buddhist Relief is proud to partner with them both. Echoing this sentiment, Sarah wrote last week, “We are so grateful for the Poolesville Little Free Pantry’s partnership with KPC Buddhist Relief. The work they do locally to ensure the western reaches of the county aren’t forgotten has made a measurable, positive impact in our community.”