SMECO recently received a $12,000 contribution from CoBank through its matching funds program to benefit local organizations serving our community. Each of the following organizations received $3,000: Our Place Waldorf Soup Kitchen, St. Mary’s Caring Soup Kitchen, End Hunger in Calvert County/Community Harvest Network, and Clements Cuties Foundation.
“Many thanks to SMECO for supporting Our Place Waldorf Soup Kitchen in our mission to serve nutritious meals with compassion and dignity,” said Deanna Gerhart, executive director of Our Place Waldorf. “The generous donation from SMECO will help us strengthen the fabric of our community by providing a welcoming space for those in need.”
Our Place Waldorf Soup Kitchen works to improve the quality of life for Charles County residents in need by providing nutritious meals and services that help reduce the effects of hunger and poverty. Since its founding in 2012, the soup kitchen has served more than 100,000 meals to local residents.
Since 1993, St. Mary’s Caring Soup Kitchen has been working to fight hunger by providing free breakfast and lunch six days a week. The group serves children, struggling families, low-income seniors, people with disabilities, the homeless, the unemployed, and the working poor. In addition to daily meals, St. Mary’s Caring provides groceries for families facing immediate food shortages, summer dinners for at-risk children, and weekly groceries for families in need.
“In the face of today’s challenges, SMECO’s generous grant allows us to feed those who are struggling the most,” said Kristine Millen, St. Mary’s Caring’s executive director. “Your support is life-changing for those who have nowhere else to turn. Thank you, a million times over, for partnering with St. Mary’s Caring Soup Kitchen to feed our neighbors in need.”
Community Harvest Network, formerly End Hunger in Calvert County, supports organizations in Southern Maryland that create lasting change for the people they serve. As a redistribution partner for the Maryland Food Bank, the network supplies food pantries, soup kitchens, and backpack programs throughout the region. Its culinary program equips individuals with learning differences with the skills they need to gain employment in the hospitality industry.
The Clements Cuties Foundation raises awareness for childhood cancer and supports children facing severe illnesses. Founded in the 1970s, the Cuties continue their tradition of hosting softball games. Donations can be made online at clementscuties.org/donate.
