CommunicAID Announces Opening of First-ever Alumni-managed Food Pantry During “Class of 2016 Reunion

Newest addition to CommunicAID pantry network will service Brooklyn-Curtis Bay area, in partnership with Giant Food of Maryland.

BALTIMORE (Oct. 13, 2021) -- Homeless resource center CommunicAID will extend its impact on the Baltimore community by opening its first alumni-run food pantry in 2022.

Forming a strategic partnership with Giant Food of Maryland, the newest food pantry initiative will be managed by 15 individuals who first entered CommunicAID’s doors in need five years ago. The pantry will focus on servicing the Brooklyn-Curtis Bay area, a place the vast majority of the founders call home.

In an effort to modernize food pantry operations, the founders of the newest pantry worked alongside CommunicAID for the past year to incorporate their own experiences as individuals in need into the making of a more inclusive and innovative system. Seeking to allow individuals to make autonomous decisions, the pantry will feature a “grocery store” design, a check-out process, and additional space for cooking classes, kitchen safety advice and other extensions of CommunicAID’s career and family-based resources. Besides offering non-perishable food items, the pantry will also count with fresh produce and kitchen tools in an effort to provide a more dignified experience and extended access.

“We all suggested things we wish we had seen at food pantries when we were using them,” said Alfred Hayes, one of the alumni and co-founder of the pantry. “Some people come to food pantries with no idea how to cook, or even without access to a can opener or a cooking pan. We did not want people to have these problems at our pantry, so we are giving them solutions.”

The announcement took place during the organization’s “Class of 2016 Reunion,” a special ceremony honoring members who successfully completed the main reintegration program. In attendance were Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, CommunicAID President Suzzanne McGrath, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Homelessness Services Irene Agustin, Giant Foods Maryland spokesperson Daniel Wolk and several key CommunicAID staff members who served as mentors for the honorees.

“At CommunicAID, we are continuously taking efforts to change the narrative surrounding homelessness and food insecurity in our community,” said CommunicAID President Suzzanne McGrath. “Opening this alumni-run food pantry has been a goal for years, and it only marks the beginning of a new chapter for us to provide more services across the city, and perhaps even the state.”

All founding members will have crucial roles utilizing the skills earned during their time at CommunicAID and their life after finishing the program, McGrath noted. In the upcoming months, fundraising efforts will become a pivotal part of the grand opening of the pantry in the next year.

“My life is so different now than what it was 5 years ago, when I first arrived at one of CommunicAID’s shelters,” said Toni Richards, one of the alumni and co-founder of the newest food pantry. “I am so happy that now I get to help others who were in the same situation as me. I want to guide them by example and let them know that CommunicAID is there to help.”

About CommunicAID:

CommunicAID is a Baltimore-based homeless resource center that has changed more than 30,000 lives since 1994, counting with a variety of local partnerships, more than 1,000 volunteers, and a dedicated sense of community. CommunicAID focuses on prioritizing housing and job training for individuals experiencing homelessness to succeed beyond temporary solutions, and aims at solving the cycle of poverty and homelessness. For more information, please visit us online at https://communicaid.weebly.com

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For More Information:

Regan Kerr, Paola Collazo, Victoria Yuan

PR Spokeperson

CommunicAID

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