For twenty years, the Asbury Church Assistance Network (ACAN) Food Pantry has served Anne Arundel County and, specifically, the Severna Park community. Each year, they’ve worked to help run the food pantry as well as senior and baby pantries to provide much needed supplies and sustenance to those in need. During the holiday season, their giving spirit kicks into overdrive.
Every Thanksgiving, they help ensure that needy families around Severna Park can have a
wonderful holiday meal with all the fixings by providing the supplies.
Last year, they provided 480 families a full meal, featuring a centerpiece meat (sometimes turkey but sometimes other meats depending on the family’s dietetic needs), as well as fresh produce and all the trimmings, like cranberry sauce and cornbread mix. Overall, in 2023, ACAN was able to provide approximately 1,675 family members with a holiday meal. This year, they’re doing it again and hope to serve more families than ever.
For starters, ACAN is pairing with several different groups to help expand their reach. They are working with the Anne Arundel Women Giving Together, and this partner organization will be donating dry goods, like stuffing and gravy mix, and canned vegetables to ACAN’s drive.
Additionally, ACAN has also teamed up with the Kiddie Academy of Hanover, MD, and the Anne Arundel County Fire Department. Finally, the Maryland Food Bank will be providing ACAN’s drive with fresh produce, including fresh fruits and vegetables.
However, there’s more to do to ensure this drive serves as many deserving people in the Severna Park area as possible. So, ACAN is hosting a neighborhood drive as well. Starting on November 4th and going until November 22nd , people can drop off non-perishable food supplies or donate money to help make these Thanksgiving meals a reality. The supply or monetary donation drop off times will be from 10 AM to noon on Mondays – Wednesdays during these dates. The actual pick up for families expecting Thanksgiving supplies will be on Wednesday the 27 th before the holiday.
In addition to hoping for dry goods, like cornbread mix, or canned goods, like cranberry sauce, ACAN is hoping for monetary donations. This year, they’re working on a deal with local grocery store chains to help provide them with a discount for meats, so ACAN can buy them at cost. As a result, if generous donors can spare $15 to $20 dollars as a donation, then that money can go along way to affording the centerpiece meat on Thanksgiving for a family in need.
In these trying times, when inflation has made grocery costs skyrocket and so many families are struggling to afford the basics, it’s more important than ever to donate to a worthy cause. The people who come to ACAN for help and for a Thanksgiving meal are our neighbors, our fellow community members, who need a helping hand before they can get back on their feet. By helping them, we’re helping to take care of our community. So, during this holiday season, embrace the spirit of giving and consider donating money or canned and dried goods to ACAN. Pay it forward and help make close to 500 families’ Thanksgiving holiday that much brighter.
If you’re interested in donating, you can contact ACAN Director Peggy Wilson at her e-mail asbury.acan@gmail.com or find more information here.
If you want to drop off supplies or funds from November 4th – November 22nd , then the address is 429 Asbury Dr, Severna Park, MD 21146. Again, bear in mind the drop off times will be from 10 a.m. to noon on Mondays – Wednesdays during those
weeks.