Food Access and COVID Care Warmline

About the Program

Category: Human Services (Best in Category)

Year: 2021

County Executive Steuart Pittman launched the Anne Arundel County Food Access Warm Line, which evolved to the Food Access and COVID Care Warmline, in partnership with multiple county agencies in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This one-stop resource phone line connects all individuals and families throughout Anne Arundel County to case managers for customized food resource navigation, assistance accessing resources for energy and water bills, mental health and grief counseling, child care, eviction and foreclosure prevention. Individuals and families affected by the COVID-19 virus were also offered short-term intensive case management services for additional support. When vaccinations became available to the local Department of Health in January 2021, the Food Access and COVID Care Warmline staff layered in an additional responsibility to help older adults, individuals with disabilities and anyone with barriers to technology pre-register for and schedule vaccination appointments. As the country begins to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Food Access and COVID Care Warmline continues to work with individuals and families to access programs and services to meet their basic essential needs. Establishing public and private partnerships with county government agencies and community organizations has been the key to the Food Access and COVID Care warmline’s success.