Title
Support for Anne Arundel County Food Bank's Supplemental State Funding Request - For the purpose of supporting a request by the Anne Arundel County Food Bank for an additional $1,375,130.00 in state funding to purchase food, support salaries of warehouse workers and drivers, and buy a new refrigerated truck.
Body
CITY COUNCIL OF THE
City of Annapolis
Resolution 17-23
Co-introduced by: Alderwomen Pindell Charles & O’Neill
Co-sponsored by: Ald. Tierney, Ald. Arnett
A RESOLUTION concerning
Support for Anne Arundel County Food Bank's Supplemental State Funding Request
FOR the purpose of supporting a request by the Anne Arundel County Food Bank for an additional $1,375,130.00 in state funding to purchase food, support salaries of warehouse workers and drivers, and buy a new refrigerated truck.
WHEREAS, The City of Annapolis Office of Emergency Management (OEM) relies heavily upon the Anne Arundel County Food Bank to help alleviate suffering during their disaster response and assistance; and
WHEREAS, Through the Food Friday Program, the Office of Emergency Management has, with volunteer help, been using food from the Anne Arundel County Food Bank to assemble food products into family-sized boxes and deliver them to Annapolitans experiencing food insecurity. The program served about 30 families a week when it began in 2018 and now serves about 205 families (615 individuals); and
WHEREAS, The Office of Emergency Management also partners with the Anne Arundel County Food Bank to provide families with venison meat through a program where hunters donate their game; and
WHEREAS, The Anne Arundel County Food Bank has requested $1,375,130.00 be added to the Maryland state budget in support of its critical work throughout Anne Arundel County; and
WHEREAS, The funding request includes the purchase of food ($800,497.00), support of warehouse and driver salaries ($376,480.00), and the purchase of a new refrigerated vehicle ($198,153.00); and
WHEREAS, The Anne Arundel County Food Bank plans to buy fresh produce and lean proteins as well as healthier shelf-stable food items to provide access to fresh and more nutritional food options for better health outcomes for our neighbors in need; and
WHEREAS, The Anne Arundel County Food Bank seeks to retain warehouse and driver employees by paying them a fair wage; maintaining a stable, highly functional warehouse team which is essential to the current operation and future sustainability of the food bank; and
WHEREAS, Anne Arundel County Food Bank requests funds for the purchase of a 26-foot refrigerated truck to ensure the stability of fresh donated items from the time of pick-up to safe storage in the food bank's warehouse refrigerators or freezers because safe storage and distribution is a critical health and safety issue; and
WHEREAS, The Anne Arundel County Food Bank needs the City of Annapolis's support of their request for a legislative add-on to the Governor’s FY2024 (July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024) budget;
NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE ANNAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL that the Council supports Anne Arundel County Food Bank’s request of $1,375,130.00 to provide critical supplemental food resources in Anne Arundel County;
AND BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED BY THE ANNAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL that the Council encourages Anne Arundel County state Delegates and Senators to vote for and support passage of the $1,375,130.00 appropriations for the Anne Arundel County Food Bank; the Anne Arundel County delegation includes: Sen. James Rosapepe (Dist. 21), Budget & Tax Committee Vice-Chair; Sen. Sarah Elfreth (Dist. 30), Budget & Tax Committee member; Del. Benjamin Barnes (Dist. 21), Appropriations Committee Chair; Del. Shaneka Henson (Dist. 30), Appropriations Committee member; and Del. Mark Chang (Dist. 32), Appropriations Committee Vice Chair.