(L-R) Kelly Rulle, Light House Pantry Coordinator, Heather Cassity, Light House Executive Director, Anna Khacho, Light House Kitchen Manager, Brad Spooner, Safeway VP Operations.
ANNAPOLIS, MD – The Light House was recently awarded a $8,250 Nourishing Neighbors Summer Meals Grant from the Safeway Foundation to help connect individuals facing food insecurity with proper nutrition. As the food insecurity crisis remains at a critical level, this grant provides much needed support by directly funding The Light House food program’s hunger relief efforts.
"Since the start of the pandemic, the demand for our Light House food programs has almost doubled,” stated Heather Cassity, Executive Director at The Light House. “Alongside this dramatic increase, we historically see a 10-20% increase in meal program participants once children are out of school during the summer months. The Light House is dedicated to providing healthy and fresh meals to every food insecure neighbor who comes through our doors and this funding from our friends at Safeway Foundation is vital during these summer months. We are deeply grateful for their continued support as we work together to fight hunger in our community."
Last year alone, The Light House served over 83,000 meals and distributed 270,000 pounds of perishable and non-perishable food to individuals and families in Anne Arundel County. Their many homelessness prevention and support programs also provided emergency shelter, clothing, case management, and other vital services to thousands of community members in need.
Food insecurity increased dramatically during the start of the pandemic and has continued to remain at higher-than-normal levels in many communities nationwide. Safeway Foundation’s Nourishing Neighbors initiative aims to fight hunger by helping keep food banks stocked, supporting meal distribution programs at schools, and supporting programs that provide food to seniors.
About Safeway and Safeway Foundation: Safeway in the Mid-Atlantic Division is part of Albertsons Companies (NYSE: ACI). Locally great and nationally strong, Albertsons Cos. is a leading food and drug retailer in the United States. The Mid-Atlantic Division operates Safeway stores in Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Delaware. Safeway is committed to helping people across the country live better lives by making a meaningful difference, neighborhood by neighborhood. During 2021, Safeway and Safeway Foundation locally donated nearly $4 million in food and financial support to help people in the areas of hunger relief, education, cancer research and treatment, programs for people with disabilities, and veterans. For more information, visit www.safeway.com and www.nourishingneighbors.com.
About The Light House: The Light House, located at 10 Hudson Street in Annapolis, has served the community as a basic needs provider of food, shelter, and clothing for over 30 years. Its mission is to help rebuild lives with compassion by providing shelter and services to prevent homelessness and empower people as they transition toward housing, employment, and self-sufficiency. For more information about The Light House, please visit their website at www.annapolislighthouse.org, or on Facebook/Instagram @annapolislighthouse.
