MDOT Fuels Road to Opportunity for Food-Insecure Families During September Food Drive

(August 31, 2017) –  The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) today announced the start of Operation Orange Food Drive, a month-long event throughout September in support of the Maryland Food Bank’s Hunger Action Month.  Today MDOT team members kicked-off the drive and volunteered at the Maryland Food Bank facility in Baltimore where they sorted food and filled boxes for distribution. 

MDOT business units, including the Secretary of Transportation’s Office, Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA), Maryland Port Administration (MDOT MPA), Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA), Maryland Aviation Administration (MDOT MAA), Motor Vehicle Administration (MDOT MVA) and State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) are collecting food from employees and customers at more than 100 locations.

“For the past five years, MDOT team members and customers have donated nearly 135,000 pounds of food, helping thousands of people,” said MDOT SHA Administrator and Operation Orange Chairman Greg Slater.  “MDOT employees live in the communities in which we serve, so helping our neighbors in need is important to all of us. Please help us surpass our goal of collecting 34,000 pounds of food by visiting one of the many locations to donate non-perishable food or support virtually on-line.”   

“Hunger Action Month is all about raising awareness around the issue of hunger in Maryland, and we’re grateful to partners like MDOT for shining a spotlight on this critical problem,” said Maryland Food Bank CEO & President Carmen Del Guercio. “The Operation Orange campaign is a great example of the government sector giving back to their local communities, and we appreciate MDOT’s willingness to collect much-needed food donations at so many locations across the state.”

The Maryland Food Bank reports that there are more than 682,000 Marylanders in need of food, 220,010 of which are children. Through efforts such as Operation Orange, meals are provided to thousands of individuals who suffer from hunger and food insecurity.

Operation Orange Food Drive drop offs include: the MDOT SHA Headquarters Complex and Shops, the Port of Baltimore, all MDTA Toll and EZ Pass facilities, all MVA VEIP and full service locations, as well as BWI Thurgood Marshall International Airport.

Customers may also donate virtually by visiting here – or visiting mdfoodbank.org, click on “online fundraising,” then “teams,” then “MDOT.”

Special efforts include: CanStruction Build Day at BWI Thurgood Marshall International Airport on September 9, a competition featuring structures built with cans with voting September 10-24; MDOT SHA’s Stuff a Truck event in Hagerstown on September 15 and MDOT MVA’s Stuff the Bus event on September 22.

The Maryland Food Bank is a nonprofit hunger-relief organization, leading the movement to end hunger throughout Maryland. For more than 35 years, the Maryland Food Bank has partnered with communities across the state to distribute food to individuals and families in need. Through carefully-crafted programs, the food bank aims to meet the immediate needs of Marylanders while simultaneously working to find long term ways to reduce hunger statewide. Currently distributing more than 112,000 meals per day – more than 41 million meals annually – the Maryland Food Bank will continue to expand its efforts until hunger ends. To learn more about the Maryland Food Bank, visit www.mdfoodbank.org.