OCEAN CITY, Md. — Anne Arundel County was recognized with the Maryland Emergency Management Association’s (MDEMA) 2026 Response Project of the Year Award during the 40th annual Maryland Emergency Management and Homeland Security Symposium for its coordinated food distribution response during the federal government shutdown.
The award recognized the county’s efforts to support residents affected by the shutdown and the delay of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. As food insecurity concerns increased across the state, Anne Arundel County worked to coordinate emergency food distribution efforts for impacted residents.
In November 2025, County Executive Steuart Pittman announced $500,000 in emergency funding for the Anne Arundel County Food Bank to support food distributions throughout the county. The initiative helped provide access to food for families, seniors, federal employees, SNAP recipients, and other residents facing financial strain during the shutdown.
“This award reflects what emergency management looks like when county government, nonprofit partners, and community organizations move together with urgency and purpose,” said County Executive Steuart Pittman. “When residents needed help, Anne Arundel County stepped up, and our partners made sure food reached the people who needed it most.”
These efforts were coordinated with a broad coalition that included the Anne Arundel County Office of Emergency Management, the Department of Social Services, the Department of Aging and Disabilities, the Department of Health, the Food Council, and nonprofit partners such as the Anne Arundel County Food Bank and local community organizations. Together, they worked to prevent food insecurity from becoming a secondary crisis layered atop the shutdown itself.
"Treating food insecurity as a real emergency management issue shows the diversity of problems our residents can face at any moment,” said Preeti Emrick, director of the Anne Arundel County Office of Emergency Management. “Regardless of origin, we will continue to work with County Agencies and local partners to assist the families affected, helping those that need it most now and in the future."
The Maryland Emergency Management Association’s annual awards recognize outstanding emergency management programs, projects, and professionals from across the state. The 2026 symposium was held May 26-29 in Ocean City and brought together emergency management, homeland security, public safety, nonprofit and private-sector partners from across Maryland.
The award highlights the strength of the county’s whole-community approach to emergency management and the value of strong partnerships before a crisis occurs.
“This recognition belongs to every partner, volunteer, and county employee who helped make these distributions possible,” Emrick said. “Their work helped reduce hardship for residents during a difficult and uncertain time.”
For more information about Anne Arundel County emergency preparedness programs, visit https://www.aacounty.org/emergency-management