St. Michaels Community Center takes in Christ Church St. Michaels’ food pantry program

(ST. MICHAELS, MD – Sept. 14, 2021) The St. Michaels Community Center is helping to centralize food distribution for Bay Hundred residents by consolidating the operations of the St. Michaels Food Pantry with the community center’s food distribution program. 

“The St. Michaels Food Pantry and its volunteers and donors have helped to provide meat and nutritious, non-perishable foods for Bay Hundred families in need for more than 60 years,” says Food Pantry Board member Mary Ellen Olcese. “We’re fortunate to have helped the community for so long, and now is a great time to transition the program, because the St. Michaels Community Center is doing a great job as the area’s lead for food distribution.”  ​

“The Food Pantry began in 1961 and was located in the parish hall of Christ Church. We were able to provide twice-weekly food distribution and special holiday baskets for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter,” says Alice Petizon​ of the Food Pantry Board. “And we will continue to support food distribution in the community in the future.”

“We’re grateful for this opportunity to combine our programs while helping our neighbors who are facing food insecurities,” said St. Michaels Executive Director Patrick Rofe. “We’ll continue to provide take-out meals and grocery pick-up for those in need at the community center on Mondays from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.—including Jeannie’s Community Café for onsite dining—and Fridays from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.”

St. Michaels Community Center Executive Director Patrick Rofe, front, with St. Michaels Food Pantry Board members from left, Alice Petizon, Jeff Hart, Mary Ellen Olcese, Susan Armstrong, Judy Tanczos, and Kim Kerrigan at Limoncello Restaurant

Individuals can support St. Michaels Community Center’s operations by making a tax-deductible donation at paypal.me/smccmd, or drop off non-perishables at the St. Michaels Community Center, located at 103 Railroad Ave., in the historic district of St. Michaels. An outdoor pantry is additionally set up at the community center for anyone in need or wanting to make a donation of non-perishable food items. 

The St. Michaels Community Center provides activities and services contributing to the physical, emotional, and social well-being of the community. SMCC is dedicated to filling the unmet needs of the Bay Hundred and St. Michaels communities by providing supervised programs for the enrichment of children and teens; activities and services for adults and senior citizens; and affordable recreational, social, and educational activities to the entire community.
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Donations to SMCC and proceeds from its Treasure Cove Thrift Shop, located on Railroad Ave. in St. Michaels, help the nonprofit provide year-round programs, services, and community events for people from throughout the Bay Hundred area. More information is at stmichaelscc.org. More about Christ Church is at christstmichaels.org.  
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