Grocery Giveaway Eases Hunger Pangs

By Jayden Z. Ford
Spectrum Editor-in-Chief

The Town of Capitol Heights has a grocery giveaway every Sunday from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. when volunteers give away meat, dairy, desserts, fruit, eggs and vegetables. People were lining up two hours early to get a ticket to receive free food.

“I love to eat and they also provide foods that normally aren’t given to grocery stores in the black community. Said marcel Curtis a weekly regular when asked why she comes to the food giveaway.

 Volunteers arrive around 11 and help to setup each table. From delivering boxes to setting up and organizing tables, volunteers come from all over the DMV area. Volunteers also get to take a food box with them as well and get to go first as an incentive even though they sign ups are full for weeks in advance.

 “I like giving back to the community," said volunteer James C. Brown. "I like to see others get what they need to nourish themselves.” 

The program, set up in February 2023 when a council member went house to house giving food to friends in Capitol Heights, has grown to an event that serves more than 90 people who stop by each wee for free groceries.

 “It is affirming to know that together [among] volunteers, the town and the people who came, we are fighting against hunger and food waste because the food we receive is perfectly good food to feed people but if we didn’t take part in it, it would just be going to the trash can,” said council member Amanda Anderson. 

As people go in they are able to choose what foods they want based on the quantity available. Because the program is a food waste program every week the food items and amount changes.

There are many grocery stores looking for places to donate their food waste and a lot of nonprofits organizations are trying to connect to them. The program Celestial Manna partnered with Trader Joe’s and the town of Capitol Heights to make that connection possible.

When asked what’s next, Anderson said, “ I would love to be able to do this multiple times a week. But it also takes more resources and volunteers.”

As the program moves into its second year the town hopes to continue to improve and expand it.