South County Assistance Network (SCAN)
South County Assistance Network (SCAN) was established in May of 1997 for the purpose of providing assistance to those in need in the area. Currently the SCAN food bank is distributing food to about 100 families.
The food distribution program is housed at St. James Church from which food is distributed on Thursday and Saturdays mornings. Bags of mostly nonperishable food are handed out based on household size and income guidelines. Families and individuals may receive food once each month from the SCAN food bank. (The SCAN food bank is not a function of St. James Parish; St. James provides the space and the emergency food delivery. Otherwise SCAN is a separate entity, incorporated in the State of Maryland, and enjoying a tax free status from the federal government.)
SCAN is staffed entirely by volunteers who pick up the food from donors, package the food, and hand out the food on Thursdays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. until noon. Delivering food on an emergency basis any day of the week is a task which has been taken on by members of St. James. Food is collected through churches, from individuals, obtained from the Maryland Food Bank, and purchased as necessary.
Thirty-six churches participate in SCAN. Friendship United Methodist Church is represented on the board of directors. Some of the churches conduct food drives and hold special events to raise money for SCAN. Contributions of money are used to purchase food and pay administrative costs. There is no rent to be paid, there are no salaries to be paid, no expenses to be reimbursed--only food to be given to those who are hungry. South County Faith Network (SCFN) awarded Friendship UMC the outstanding church of the year award at their annual meeting. Many thanks to Keith Ulrich, Rev. Don Stewart, Bob and Bee Hobbs, and the HOME team for their volunteer service toward SCFN on our behalf.
ATTENTION: Our local South County Food Bank (SCAN) is in need of volunteers to stock shelves, fill bags and serve our less fortunate brothers and sisters on Thursdays from 9-Noon. If you can spare three hours of your Thursday morning, please call Dottie Fender (Volunteer Scheduler) at 301-261-5265 or Bee & Bob Hobbs at 301-855-5269. Back to Outreach