Hunger Relief

It Takes a Village: How Columbia Community Care and the Columbia Action Council of Howard County Work Together to End Hunger

It was March 2020, the world had just stopped, and Carrie Ross had just moved back to Howard County from Seattle with no job and no clear direction. Like a lot of people that spring, she turned to Facebook, scrolling through community groups, trying to get a feel for the place she’d landed. That’s where […]

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2 volunteers with bags of food at a CCC pantry

As Federal Shutdown Threatens SNAP Benefits, Hunger Crisis Looms for Maryland Families

“My mom did everything she was supposed to do, and we still struggled,” said Jessica Nichols, a Maryland educator and chairperson of the Board of Directors for Columbia Community Care, and hunger relief nonprofit in Howard County, Maryland. “Paydays were great because we had food, but somewhere around five or six days before the next

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Why We Need the Food Insecurity Report Now More Than Ever

As someone who works on the front lines of hunger relief every day, I was deeply troubled by Saturday’s announcement that the USDA would cancel the decades-long Household Food Security Report. This critical annual survey tracks how many Americans struggle to put food on their tables, providing essential data that shapes our understanding of food insecurity nationwide.

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a woman holds grocery bags with text overlay that reads: "breaking down barriers: understanding food access challenges in howard county" and the CCC logo at the lower center.

Breaking Down Barriers: Understanding Food Access Challenges in Howard County

“Food insecurity isn’t just about hunger – it’s about deeply rooted systemic barriers that prevent people from accessing the nutrition they need,” explains Erika Chavarria, executive director of Columbia Community Care (CCC). “Even in an affluent area like Howard County, we see how these barriers impact our neighbors every day.” While Howard County appears prosperous

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a group of volunteers from Millers Grant pose with a site coordinator from CCC. A bouquet of flowers sits on a table in front of them.

Miller’s Grant Opens its Hands and Hearts to Columbia Community Care

Once a month, a group of volunteers from Miller’s Grant, a retirement community in Howard County, head to the Columbia Community Care food pantry to volunteer. “We started out with volunteers helping at the distribution site in Long Reach,” said Monica Fortner, who coordinates the Miller’s Grant volunteers and serves as a liaison with CCC.

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