Montgomery County's Food Policy Council launched a countywide campaign on Tuesday, Sept. 29, to fight food insecurity affecting an estimated 83,700 residents.
The initiative, called "Hunger Stops Here," asks residents, businesses and nonprofits to donate, volunteer and advocate for stronger food access, the Times Herald reported. It builds on $610,000 in Food Systems Infrastructure Grants the county awarded in 2025 to 13 organizations. Those grants funded pantry refrigeration upgrades, commercial kitchen improvements, greenhouse expansions, food distribution equipment and food waste reduction projects.
"Through the Hunger Stops Here campaign, we are inviting everyone in Montgomery County to be a part of the solution," Sam Applefield, the county's Food Policy Program Coordinator, said in a statement.
The Food Policy Council, established in 2024, also developed a Food Resource Guide connecting residents with pantries, meal programs, senior nutrition services and SNAP enrollment help. The county's campaign page links to those resources directly.
Food insecurity by the numbers
An estimated 24,500 children in the county are food insecure, representing 13.3% of residents under 18, according to MontCo Anti-Hunger Network data cited by The Reporter. The network's more than 70 pantries, food banks and free meal sites handle roughly 20,000 visits each month. In 2025, the network distributed 1.024 million pounds of food, enough for about 850,000 meals.
Since 2023, the county has invested $2.1 million to expand food access, including $500,000 directed at offsetting SNAP benefit losses, according to More Than the Curve.
Local pantries serving Plymouth and Whitemarsh
Residents in the Whitemarsh, Plymouth and Whitpain area have several nearby options.
The Colonial Neighborhood Council, at 107 E. 4th Ave. in Conshohocken, serves families across the Colonial School District, including Plymouth and Whitemarsh. The pantry is open Monday through Friday, 5:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and families can visit as often as needed. The council's phone number is 610-828-6595. The MontCo Anti-Hunger Network advises calling any pantry to confirm hours before visiting.
Montgomery County Community College's Blue Bell campus runs a "Stock up for Success" pantry at College Hall 160, offering snacks and staples such as peanut butter, canned tuna and produce.
Jordan Junction Food Pantry and Resource Center, at 334 Summit Ave. in Conshohocken, distributes food on Wednesdays from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
How to get involved
The campaign asks residents to take five steps: donate food or funds to local pantries, volunteer at meal programs, support initiatives that improve healthy food access, share information about food insecurity, and advocate for food-security policies.
Residents who need food assistance can search for a pantry through the MontCo Anti-Hunger Network, apply for SNAP benefits through the SOAR navigator program, or contact the WIC nutrition program through Maternity and Family Health Services. All three are linked from the county's Hunger Stops Here page.
