United Way of Kent County Launches Three-Year Strategic Focus on Food Security with Washington College Partnership

The Full Table Initiative brings a coordinated, community-driven approach to food access across Kent County and the Upper Shore

United Way of Kent County (UWKC) has announced a three-year strategic focus on food security and food access in Kent County, anchored by a new partnership with the Washington College Center for Environment & Society (CES). The initiative, called The Full Table Initiative, represents a shift from UWKC's traditional community allocations model toward a coordinated, systems-based approach to addressing food insecurity across the county.

The partnership agreement, signed in September 2026 by Maggie Thomas, executive director of United Way of Kent County, and Valerie Imbruce, Lammot du Pont Copeland executive director of CES, formalizes a joint commitment to community food system mapping, infrastructure assessment, grant partnerships, and coordinated food access initiatives.

"The Full Table Initiative is our answer to a question the community kept asking us: how do we make sure everyone in Kent County has access to nutritious food, not just today but for the long haul?" Thomas said. "This isn't about United Way handing out checks. It's about fostering a system that works, and Washington College CES is the right partner to help us do it. They bring the research capacity, the community networks, and the convening power. We will combine our funding partnerships and grant strategies. Together, we can do what neither of us could do alone."

Under the three-year strategic plan, The Full Table Initiative will focus on four key areas:

• Community food system mapping: Understanding where Kent County's
  food comes from, where it goes, and where the gaps are
• Coordination, not duplication: Connecting existing food access
  organizations rather than creating competing programs
• Infrastructure expansion: Answering needs for cold storage,
  distribution, and processing capacity across the Upper Shore
• Grant partnerships: Jointly pursuing federal and philanthropic
  funding to meet community food access needs, with CES eligible for
  higher education institutional grants and UWKC eligible for community-based nonprofit grants

CES staff have been serving on the steering committee for the Upper Shore Farm and Food Network, coordinating community engagement, needs assessment, and food system mapping. UWKC will provide grant writing support, funding partnerships, and joint application capacity, leveraging its status as a United Way Worldwide affiliate to bring resources into the county.

"The Full Table Initiative represents exactly the kind of community-engaged work that CES was built for," Imbruce said. "When a local organization like United Way comes to the table with a vision and a willingness to do the work, the College has a responsibility to bring its resources to bear. Food access on the Eastern Shore is not a new problem, but food insecurity is growing and we need a new approach. We're not just addressing hunger. With our community partners, we're building a food system that supports all people."

The partnership emerged from a community needs assessment conducted by UWKC, which identified food access as a top priority for Kent County residents. Rather than continue its traditional allocations model, UWKC shifted strategy toward coordination: mapping the existing food system, building partnerships, and addressing gaps by leveraging institutional funding and infrastructure.

Laura Chamberlin, associate director of civic engagement at CES, chairs the Upper Shore Food and Farm Network and plays a key role in convening multiple partners. As a first step in the Full Table Initiative, she coordinated a Grant Writing Readiness workshop for Kent County food access organizations.

The three-year timeline positions The Full Table Initiative for phased growth: Year One focuses on mapping and collaborative planning.

Year Two shifts to infrastructure expansion and capacity-building of our partner organizations.

Year Three targets long-term sustainability for systems change.

"Kent County is a rural community with real food access challenges, but it also has incredible assets," Thomas said. "We have a nationally recognized liberal arts college, a committed nonprofit sector, a working agricultural landscape, and a community that shows up for each other. The Full Table Initiative is about connecting those assets into
something that lasts. Everyone has a role at the table."

To become a partner or participate in any way on the Full Table Initiative, visit unitedwayofkentcounty.org. To become a member of the Upper Shore Food and Farm Network, serving Kent as well as Queen Anne’s and Cecil Counties, visit uppershorefarmfoodnetwork.org.