Community Corner

Neighbors Feeding Neighbors: The Bowie Interfaith Food Pantry


Walking into the Bowie Interfaith Food Pantry on one of the days it is open and distributing food is walking into a flurry of activity.

Clients are signing up to receive food for the first time, or signing in to receive their monthly or bi-weekly food supplies. At least a dozen volunteers are manning tables with fresh bread, cheese or fruit. Many are packing totes for pickup and sorting through food looking for expired items. 

With only one part-time staff person, the pantry is almost entirely volunteer-run, and they do a great job, according to executive director and sole paid staffer Debbie Langdon.

"It's a very special place. Some of the volunteers have been here for years and years and just love it," Langdon said.

Langdon personally meets with each new applicant to determine not only how much food they need, but what other needs they have so she can help connect people with the appropriate resources.

Clients are eligible to come in one to two times a month, depending on need, and are given two to four totes depending on the size of the family. Totes contain a variety of donated and purchased food including peanut butter, pasta, pasta sauce, canned meats and beans, rice and other shelf stable items. Clients are also welcome to pick from a fresh dairy items—like eggs, cheese or yogurt—purchased by the pantry, and or donated from area grocery stores and restaurants.

Giving fresh items is a big priority for the pantry, something made possible by the community.

"We've made a really strong effort in the past two years to give everyone fresh fruits and vegetables because that's such an important part of everyone's diet," Langdon said.

The pantry recently relocated into the trailers behind the Kenhill Center. Though the don't have much more space in the new location, the space is laid out better for the purposed of the pantry, Langdon said. 

Margie Pekala has been volunteering with the pantry for nine years. 

"When I first started working here we'd see two to three families a day. Last week we saw 72 families," Pekala said. 

On average, the pantry distributes 700-750 bags of groceries a month and averages 25 families served each day it's opened. This number has remained fairly consistent in the three years since Langdon has taken the help, but she has seen and increase in one group. 

"We've seen an increase in seniors," Langdon said, saying some of her elderly clients receive as little as $16 a month in food stamps and without the pantry, would likely starve. 

Langdon is proud of the work the pantry does, and grateful to the pantry volunteers and supporters that make the work possible. 

"We can only do it because the community is so generous," Langdon said.

The fruits and vegetables are donated, often by farmers from the Bowie Farmers Market, or by Bowie residents in the summer from personal garden harvests. The Cakery, Giant, Whole Foods and Starbucks all donate baked goods. Residents and churches donate money and gift cards that allow the pantry to purchase fresh items like cheese and eggs. Churches, business and community groups host food drives to stock pantry shelves. Individuals and organizations "adopt" pantry shelves to ensure they never run dry. 

"It's a huge community effort to help feed our neighbors," Langdon said.

The pantry is open from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; and from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. the second and fourth Tuesday of each month. All residents of Prince George's County that meet the pantry's income guidelines are eligible to receive food. 

For more information on either receive food or donating, check the Bowie Interfaith Food Pantry's website here


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