Talbot County Hunger Coalition

In partnership with the Talbot County Hunger Coalition, Talbot County Empty Bowls is making it easy for those asking “How can I help?” to give where it truly counts. All donations received by Talbot County Empty Bowls will be disbursed to food pantries in Talbot County.

Donate today and help fill empty bowls in our community.

READ MORE:

Food Insecurity Remains a Growing Challenge in Talbot County, The Talbot Spy, February 18, 2026

Hunger in Talbot County, Community Response Meets a Growing Need, January 12, 2026

The State of Food Pantries in Talbot County: Meeting Rising Needs with Faith, Grace, and Grit, October 30, 2025

Hunger doesn’t discriminate. It afflicts the young and the old, black and white, the employed and the unemployed. It is the refrigerator standing empty at the end of the month, except for last night’s rice and beans. It is the child who fills up on potato chips because it is a cheap meal.

It is the senior citizen whose Social Security checks don’t stretch to cover the cost of one more grocery trip that month.

The following is true here in Talbot County, one of the wealthiest counties in the nation:

• 11 percent of county residents are food insecure. (Feeding America)
• 15 percent of children are food insecure. (Feeding America)
• 14.5% of our children live below the poverty line. (Federal Reserve Economic Data)
• 6% of our seniors live below the poverty line (welfareinfo.org)
• 61% of TCPS students receive free or reduced school meals (TCPS)
• 12.6 % of Talbot County residents use SNAP (Talbot DSS)
• Despite a low unemployment rate of 3.3 percent, hunger remains deeply rooted among working families, seniors, and those on fixed incomes.
• Each week, nine food pantries and three meal providers across the county serve nearly 3,000 people, totaling food services of 12,000 a month and 144,000 a year.
• The cost of operating larger pantries can reach $8,000 to $10,000 monthly, straining budgets even as community fundraisers like Talbot County Empty Bowls, which raised $42,000 in February 2025, offer critical support.
• Behind these statistics are workers experiencing economic insecurity — people holding jobs with wages that still don’t cover basic living expenses.
  • A full-time worker earning Maryland’s $15 hourly minimum wage brings in about $31,000 a year.
  • That figure falls short of the $40,646 needed for a single person or the $92,262 required for a family of four to live in Talbot County, according to the MIT Living Wage Calculator.

(Updated November 18, 2025)

Hunger by the Numbers, December 2025
These holiday distributions were in addition to the hundreds of meals and bags of groceries that pantries provide every week, as regular services continued uninterrupted throughout the season.

• St. Vincent de Paul of Easton served 426 families, representing 1,331 individuals, the highest number reported by any pantry.
• The Neighborhood Service Center provided full holiday meals to 160 families, while St. Mark’s Church served 104 families.
• Smaller pantries played an equally vital role, including Tilghman Helping Hands, which served 46 families, and Royal Oak Methodist Church, which supported 25 families.

WHO, WHAT, WHY, AND WHERE OF THE HUNGER COALITION

Who?

The Talbot County Hunger Coalition is a network of community members, providers, and caring individuals working together with the Talbot Family Network to end hunger and improve access to healthy, nutritious food for our most vulnerable residents. 

What?

Recognizing a problem is the first step in addressing it. Our goal is to inform Talbot citizens and elected officials about the depth of the hunger problem in our community and to begin addressing it aggressively.

Why?

Although there are only 38,000 people in Talbot County, 10 meal and food providers are fighting the persistent problem of hunger. By banding together, we are better able to raise public awareness and coordinate among ourselves to better serve the community.

Where?

You can find us at our Hunger Coalition table at the Easton Farmers Market or at any of the local festivals and fairs, handing out our literature and talking with people about hunger and what can be done. Or we will come talk to your organization.

Want to join us? Want to learn more?

Contact: catpoe@goeaston.net

Mid-Shore Calendar of Food Pantries and Resources

Calendar provided by the Maryland Health Improvement Coalition. Food pantries are available throughout the mid-shore region every day of the week. Contact the food pantry location before visiting to confirm hours, eligibility requirements, and distribution procedures.

OUR COALITION PARTNERS

PANTRY AND MEAL PROVIDERS:

Please click on the linked text to learn more. 

Brookletts Place, Talbot County Senior Center – St. Mark’s Food Pantry
Easton Church of God – Harvest of Hope Food Pantry
Neighborhood Service Center – Food Pantry
Royal Oak United Methodist Church – Food Pantry
St. Marks United Methodist Church – Food Pantry at Brookletts Place
St. Michaels Community Center – Meal and Food Pantry Provider
St. Vincent de Paul of Easton – Food Pantry
Scott’s Methodist Church – Mobile Food Pantry
Tilghman Methodist Church – Helping Hands Food Pantry

RESOURCE PROVIDERS:

CarePacks of Talbot County
Talbot County Empty Bowls
Healthy Families Mid-Shore
Maryland Department of Health
Mid-Shore Community Foundation
Talbot County Free Library
Talbot County Public Schools
Talbot County Department of Social Services
Talbot Family Network
Talbot Interfaith Shelter