Feed the Fridge Providing Free Meals to Address Food Insecurity in Oxon Hill, Maryland

Feed the Fridge is partnering with Adventist HealthCare and the M-NCPPC Department of Parks and Recreation in Prince George's County to innovate another hunger solution for those in need, providing restaurant-prepared meals in a refrigerator at the Glassmanor Community Center.

WASHINGTON, May 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Feed the Fridge, the innovative approach to battling food insecurity while helping the local economy in the Washington, D.C., region, will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Glassmanor Community Center (1101 Marcy Avenue, Oxon Hill, Maryland) on May 17 at 11 a.m., to officially open its second fridge in Prince George's County.

Feed the Fridge places refrigerators at recreation centers, schools, and other locations throughout D.C., Prince George's County and Montgomery County, then pays local restaurants to stock them daily with delicious and nutritious meals. Anyone can come up and grab a meal, no questions asked.

This new Feed the Fridge location at the Glassmanor Community Center is the result of a creative collaboration with Adventist HealthCare and the M-NCPPC Department of Parks and Recreation in Prince George's County. The fridge will be stocked daily with meals prepared by local restaurant owners who are growing their brands. This innovative partnership will address the rise in food insecurity, particularly for people in the Glassmanor and Forest Heights communities. Residents in those communities face a long, difficult and sometimes unsafe walk to the nearest grocery store. The Glassmanor Community Center is much more accessible to local residents.

"I'm very grateful to Adventist HealthCare and the M-NCPPC Department of Parks and Recreation in Prince George's County for their support and assistance," said Mark Bucher, co-owner of Medium Rare Restaurant Group and founder of Feed the Fridge/We Care, Inc. "Thanks to the generous funding provided by Adventist HealthCare, and the willingness of the Department of Parks and Recreation in Prince George's County to make the Glassmanor Community Center available as a location for this fridge, we will be turning food insecurity into meal security for hungry Oxon Hill kids, families and seniors."

Speakers at the ribbon-cutting ceremony will include:

• Mark Bucher, Founder, Feed the Fridge
• Peter Shapiro, Chairman of the Prince George's County Planning Board
• Bill Tyler, Director, M-NCPPC, Department Parks and Recreation, Prince George's County
• Kenneth Simons, Representative for Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.)
• Karmen Brown, reading a statement from Congressman Anthony G. Brown (D-Md. 4th)
• Edward P. Burroughs, Prince George's County Councilmember
• Eunmee Shim, President, Adventist HealthCare Fort Washington Medical Center

"We are strong advocates for investing in the underserved areas anchored to Fort Washington," said Eunmee Shim, president of Adventist HealthCare Fort Washington Medical Center. "One in seven people in Prince George's County is food insecure. We aim to not only advance the medical care and services that are available in southern Prince George's County but to improve the area's overall health. That includes the nutritional health and well-being of our neighbors. Our community supported our nurses and healthcare workers during the coronavirus pandemic, and this is one way we can give back to them."

"We are excited to be part of such a worthwhile initiative, with Feed the Fridge and Adventist HealthCare, for those in need in our community," said Bill Tyler, Director of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning, Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George's County. "It is important to meet the most basic needs of the community first, including nutrition, and this is yet another way the Department is able to aid in this essential area."

About We Care, Inc.
We Care, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (Tax ID: #36-4967718) helping to fund "Feed the Fridge," which provides daily meals to school children, seniors, families, at-risk individuals, and anyone experiencing food insecurity in and around Washington, D.C. Visit: feedthefridge.org.

About Adventist HealthCare
Adventist HealthCare is one of the longest-serving health systems in the Washington, D.C., region, and one of the largest employers in Maryland. Based in Gaithersburg, Md, entities include Adventist HealthCare Rehabilitation, Fort Washington Medical Center, Shady Grove Medical Center, White Oak Medical Center, as well as Home Care Services, Adventist Medical Group, Imaging, and Urgent Care. Its mission is to extend God's care through the ministry of physical, mental and spiritual healing. Visit: adventisthealthcare.com

About The M-NCPPC, Department Parks and Recreation in Prince George's County
A well-respected leader in the parks and recreation field with an unprecedented six national gold medals for excellence, the Department provides quality recreation programs, facilities, and services for residents and visitors. The Glassmanor Community Center offers a wide array of recreational and athletic facilities and equipment, as well as After-school Program, Camps, Mentoring, and its Xtreme Teens Program. Visit: pgparks.com.

Media Contact:
Sara Newman
(301) 938-0464
[email protected] 

SOURCE Adventist HealthCare Fort Washington Medical Center