Frederick Health Sees Surge in SHARE Food Orders Amid Government Changes

Frederick Health continues commitment to address social determinants of health as SHARE volunteers see a significant rise in monthly grocery orders this November, including orders from individuals affected by the government shutdown and changes to SNAP benefits. 

Frederick Health is a host site of The SHARE Food Network, a community-based organization that provides wholesome, nutritious foods to families and individuals at a reduced cost. Orders this month have more than doubled the usual monthly average, rising from an average of 19 customers to 41 individual orders.  

With some orders being larger than usual, total food packages have jumped from a monthly average of 59 to 94 packages in November, marking the highest demand the program at Frederick Health has seen in years. 

“There were a number of federal workers who placed orders this month as first-time customers,” said Laura DeFeo, Lead Diabetes Prevention Program Coach and Co-Coordinator of the SHARE host site at Frederick Health. “November is typically popular each year, but I think it is also extra-large this year due to the government shutdown and SNAP challenges.” 

The Federal government shutdown on October 1, 2025 led to a funding crisis for SNAP benefits in November. As new federal policies tighten SNAP eligibility for the 680,000 Marylanders who rely on SNAP, 270,000 of which are children, thousands are expected to lose assistance permanently.  

“So many families are still feeling the effects of the federal shutdown and SNAP restrictions,” said Diane Tomasky, Care Manager and Disease Management RN and Co-Coordinator of the SHARE site. “Frederick Health remains committed to supporting access to healthy and affordable food through this program. The community relies on it, and we rely on the volunteers who make it possible.”  

Volunteers have been the backbone of the operation, managing procurement, transportation, sorting, and distribution every month. Frederick Health typically fields between nine and 11 volunteers per distribution, many of whom are employees giving their time before or after shifts. 

Juliet Pearrell, Senior Applications Analyst at Frederick Health, has been volunteering since 2023. Starting as early as six-thirty in the morning, she transports the groceries from the Frederick Food Bank to the Frederick Health Village, where they are sorted and distributed by volunteers to customers.  

“I grew up in foster care and experienced homelessness, so I know how life-changing it can be to have reliable access to healthy food at a reasonable cost,” Pearrell said. “None of this would be possible without the commitment of our volunteers and the support of Frederick Health senior leadership, which I hope continues well into the future.” 

Frederick Health has fulfilled an estimated 750 food packages per year, serving as one of the region’s most dependable access points for wholesome, affordable groceries. Being a SHARE host site is part of Frederick Health’s unwavering commitment to enhancing the well-being of our community by addressing vital social determinants of health. 

Anyone can purchase SHARE food packages at www.frederickhealth.org/SHARE. There is no application, qualification, identification, or documentation required to order.  

Frederick Health is always looking for volunteers. Those interested in volunteering with the Frederick Health SHARE site can email SHARE@Frederick.Health or visit www.frederickhealth.org/SHARE.