Director’s Corner

October has been a challenging month with many more neighbors stressed and seeking food and emergency financial assistance amidst the government shutdown and reductions in force, including furloughed federal employees. The effects on our local community are being felt by many who work in jobs that are indirectly affected by the government funding cuts and immigration enforcements. Others are fearful that they may not get their SNAP (food stamps) and other benefits in November, and we anticipate even more neighbors seeking assistance in the difficult months ahead. The government shutdown is also affecting our staff, volunteers, and supporters, some of whom are furloughed themselves and not receiving their paychecks.

We are doing all we can to meet this need, including sharing additional resources from the Montgomery County government that are available to those affected by the shutdown: Resources for Workers Impacted by Federal Government Shutdown. If you know of someone who is in need of support at this time, please share this information and let us know how we can help. 

With your support, MUM is doing what we can to expand our programs to meet the needs in our community. Over 250 households visited our full choice food pantry in September, receiving an average of 40 pounds of fresh produce, eggs or chicken and shelf-stable food in addition to diapers, wipes and toiletries donated through the Eagle Scout project highlighted below. Another 45 households in our two Food As Medicine Programs are receiving pre-packed bags with 10-15 pounds of fresh, locally grown produce, along with 5-10 pounds of healthy nonperishable foods weekly. MUM also started our monthly food distribution at Albert Einstein High School in September, and 35 households were able to get food. We expect that number to grow as the distribution gets publicized more in the local school community. 

The Capital Area Food Bank’s 2025 Hunger Report was recently released, showing that over a third of residents in Montgomery County are experiencing food insecurity. As we hear daily from our neighbors, they are often making tradeoffs between paying for rent, utilities, healthcare, food, and other costs. We are seeing more and more people – many of whom are working but unable to make ends meet – seeking food and emergency financial assistance. In addition to increased needs for food, we have had to help more people restore their electricity this year than in any year in the past. The stress and worry is palpable on the faces of many of our neighbors we see daily in our office and food pantry.

Your support and contributions are even more important now to help MUM meet the increasing needs in our community. We encourage you to become a monthly donor and if you prefer to make direct deposits, we can provide that information. Thank you for your donations to MUM to help us support our neighbors through this challenging time!

Dayna Brown
Executive Director

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MUM’s School-Based Food Assistance Program at Albert Einstein High School in Kensington

As we announced here last month, MUM recently received a grant from the Montgomery County Office of Food Systems Resilience in support of a monthly food distribution at Albert Einstein High School for up to 100 households. The County is supporting MUM and twelve other organizations through its School-Based Food Assistance Program as noted in this press release: Montgomery County Invests $2.3 million in School-Based Food Assistance Strategies to Support Children and Families.

MUM had our first distribution at Einstein at the end of September, and our next distribution will be October 27th from 3pm to 5pm. Families with children of any age in MCPS can get food at our full-choice pantry with the help of many Einstein students and parent volunteers.

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Food As Medicine Programs Nourishing Families

MUM has two food as medicine programs that target neighbors who are food-insecure and dealing with chronic illnesses such as diabetes or hypertension. We are partnering with Proyecto Salud Proyecto Salud, the School-Based Health & Wellness Center at Wheaton High School (managed by Identity, Inc. ), Community FarmShare (CFS) and Holy Cross’s Community Health Program to implement these programs. The 45 participants receive pre-packed bags with 10-15 pounds of fresh locally grown, culturally-preferred produce from CFS, along with approximately 5-10 pounds or more of healthy nonperishable foods. They also participate in nutrition classes, receive healthy recipes for the seasonal produce each week and other resources.

MUM’s staff and volunteers regularly engage with participants during their weekly food pick-ups about their experience with the food and any challenges they are facing. For instance, as MUM’s Program Manager, Jackie Ventura, was enrolling a diabetic client referred by Proyecto Salud, she learned that the participant and her husband were struggling to pay for food and to pay their bills. Jackie coordinated with Interfaith Works, combining their resources with MUM’s to pay her large Pepco bill. She helped the participant enroll in WSSC’s Get Current water assistance program and connected her with the Salvation Army to pay her gas bill. MUM’s intervention stabilized this participant’s household, while addressing her food and health needs through the food as medicine program. 

Food As Medicine Program participants with Jackie Ventura, MUM Program Manager and Jenny Freeman, Executive Director of Community FarmShare.

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MUM Partner of the Month: Giant Food

We are excited to announce that MUM has once again been selected as a nonprofit partner in the Giant Food Community Bag Program and will receive $1 for each $2.75 reusable Community Bag sold during the month of November 2025 at the Giant Food Store at Westfield Wheaton (2900 University Blvd. West)!

The Giant Food Community Bag Program makes it easy for shoppers to support their communities and environment by buying durable, reusable shopping bags. Every month, the Store Leadership Team at each Giant Food location chooses a local nonprofit, typically located within a 10-mile radius of the store, to be the monthlong beneficiary of the Community Bag Program in that store. So this November, help MUM and the planet! Shop at Westfield Wheaton Giant and purchase your reusable bags!

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Round Up at Macy’s at Westfield Wheaton

Macy’s at Westfield Wheaton has named MUM as their roundup charity for October. Customers can choose to “round up” their purchases to donate to MUM. The Round Up Give Back campaign will take place from Thursday, October 16th, through Friday, October 31st, so shop at Macy’s and “round up” to support MUM! All of us at MUM are so grateful for the continued partnership and support of the Macy’s Wheaton family. 

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Kensington Park Senior Living Friendsgiving
Stuff the Truck Food Drive

Kensington Park Senior Living is hosting their 10th annual Friendsgiving Celebration and Stuff the Truck food drive to benefit MUM. On November 20th from 4 pm to 6 pm, anyone in the community can drop off food, gift cards, or make financial donations to MUM. Last year MUM received over 700 pounds of food, over $1,100 in donations and over $650 in gift cards from residents and partners of KPSL, as well as community members! MUM’s Executive Director, Dayna Brown, will be in attendance, along with senior leaders and partners of KPSL, so come out to donate and join us at this wonderful community event!

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Eagle Scout Project Update

As we shared last month, Montgomery Blair High School senior, Troop 439 member, and Eagle Scout candidate Jonah Chen has undertaken a service project to benefit MUM! The diaper and hygiene supply cabinet has now been finished and installed at the MUM office.

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Give to MUM through the CFC and MCC

State and federal employees and retirees, including postal workers and those serving in the military, can once again make pledges or give to MUM through their workplaces through the Maryland Charity Campaign (MCC) and the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC).

If you’re a federal employee or retiree, you can give to MUM through the CFC, which runs October through December 2025. Contributing through the CFC allows you to give through payroll deduction or your retirement annuity, giving a little each pay period and supporting our mission all year long. Go to Combined Federal Campaign and search for MUM at CFC#43740.

We recognize that many of our federal employee neighbors and supporters are currently facing uncertainties and appreciate all that you continue to do to support our community!

State employees and eligible retirees can also give to MUM through the MCC workplace charitable giving program through December 12, 2025. Go to Maryland Charity Campaign and search for MUM at MCC# 52-2072343.