Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore receives $45,000 to strengthen emergency assistance and food security

Melissa Kelly and Sandra Adomako-Bempong of CareFirst and Erica Joseph & Lauren Ansted of CFES.

The Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore (CFES) is thrilled to announce two generous grants totaling $45,000 that will strengthen the local safety net for families and seniors facing urgent financial hardship across the Lower Eastern Shore. Together, these investments support both immediate emergency assistance and access to food, two critical and closely connected needs for households working to stay healthy and stable.

A $25,000 grant from CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst) will support CFES’s Help Your Neighbor Program, which provides funding to local nonprofits offering emergency assistance such as pharmaceutical support, food assistance, and help with utility costs. This investment reflects CareFirst’s commitment to improving health outcomes by addressing the social and economic conditions that directly impact well-being. By helping residents meet essential needs in moments of crisis, the program reduces the risk that short-term emergencies escalate into long-term health or financial challenges.

Lauren Ansted, CFES & Kim Nechay, The Franklin P. & Arthur W. Perdue Foundation.

 Complementing this work, CFES also received a $20,000 grant from The Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation to help address food insecurity, a persistent and growing challenge for many households on the Lower Eastern Shore. Access to nutritious food is foundational to health, stability, and dignity, particularly for seniors and families already navigating financial strain. Together, these grants reinforce one another by supporting local nonprofits that meet people where they are, strengthen household resilience, and ensure that essential needs are met when they matter most.

To learn more or apply to a grant program, visit CFES.org/grants. To support this initiative, visit CFES.org/donate.