Asbury Church Assistance Network Marks 20 Years Of Service

For over 20 years, the Asbury Church Assistance Network Inc. (ACAN) has worked tirelessly to help households experiencing food insecurity in Anne Arundel County. On September 14, ACAN honored its history and dedicated volunteers with a 20th anniversary celebration.

ACAN began in 2004 when members of Asbury Town Neck United Methodist Church (ATNUMC) asked the pastor for help with food and other needs after church services. From its humble beginnings, serving about 15 congregation families a week, ACAN has grown with support from the Maryland Food Bank and now serves as one of the largest food pantries in the county.

In 2023 alone, the organization provided food weekly to over 9,000 individuals and supplies to 5,000 seniors via special delivery. The nonprofit also gave baby supplies to almost 1,000 families. Overall, they served close to 21,000 people last year and expect to top that in 2024.

ACAN has expanded considerably from its start as an outgrowth of ATNUMC and even more since its incorporation as a 501(c)3 by former director Janet Pack in 2012. Currently, ACAN has 15 regular volunteers, and a board.

On Mondays through Wednesdays from 10:00am to 1:00pm, the volunteers coordinate a drive-up food pantry. Thursdays through Saturdays, ACAN delivers food to four senior centers. Additionally, volunteers host special monthly senior pantry and baby pantry events onsite, usually on Thursdays, as well as general holiday events for the community.

This year, they will host a Halloween bash for families, complete with gifts for kids, a repeat of a program from last year co-hosted with county police.

ACAN president Andre Smith and board member Peggy Wilson are looking forward to the Thanksgiving food drive. In 2023, they provided Thanksgiving meal kits to around 350 families. As Smith noted, “For Thanksgiving, we have a huge need. We (expect to) give away 350-400 turkeys.”

When asked what help ACAN needs for Thanksgiving, Smith added, “We prefer if people can donate money if they can. We’ll give a gift box with all the trimmings and a gift card, if we can, for the family to choose their own main dish as some families have dietary needs.”

Despite being the largest food pantry in the county, inflation and tougher funding competition post-COVID have impacted ACAN.

“It’s harder to find funding,” Wilson said. “We were lucky to receive one grant this year, our only one, from Anne Arundel Women Giving Together (AAWGT). I remember when AAWGT’s head called me to say we’d been chosen by a unanimous vote of all 350 of their members, the only time they’d ever agreed like that. I was so happy.”

Smith concurred, saying, “A big goal for us is finding more corporate partners. We work with the (Severna Park) Elks Club now for the baby pantry, but we want to expand with other partnerships, so we can really grow. Maybe with schools or businesses that have members who want to do volunteer hours.”

Wilson indicated ACAN hoped for a partner who could help gift the nonprofit a full-time, permanent building. She noted how ACAN had only tents as shelter for outside pick-ups, surrounding a temporary building rented on the church lot for storage.

Wilson said, “Sometimes it’s hot, sometimes 90 or 100 degrees, but our volunteers are still out here with a smile.”

The biggest theme of ACAN’s work is that its volunteers embody a deep dedication to their mission. Smith said, “I want to point out the compassion of our volunteers. I wish we could have had a way for more of the community to see the 20th anniversary ceremony. We have the best volunteers who are doing this out of compassion.”

Anyone interested in donating, forming a corporate partnership, or volunteering with ACAN can visit www.acansevernapark.org for more details.