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Did you know there's a place where you can get free groceries in Baltimore City?

By
Janay Reece
Janay Reece
Janay Reece came back home to Baltimore to join WJZ in August 2023. Before coming back to the Charm City, Janay was a morning anchor and reporter for WDBJ7 in Roanoke, VA. She joined the WDBJ7 morning team after spending a year as a multimedia journalist in the New River Valley for the station.
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Janay Reece

/ CBS Baltimore

Every Saturday morning inside St. John's United Methodist Church in Charles Village, the Aids Healthcare Foundation's Food for Health Pantry offers free groceries to the community.

Here, you'll find shoppers and volunteers like Kimberly Scott-Butler picking up groceries without spending a dime.  

"I started coming as just a shopper in October," said Scott-Butler. 

But after experiencing how helpful it was, she decided to start volunteering. "I said, 'Y'all need some help.' And I have been here ever since," she told WJZ's Janay Reece. 

More than 300 people drop in at the Food for Health pantry every weekend to get groceries as part of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF). 

Food is medicine

Jeremy Myers, who helps run operations at the pantry, says their goal is to provide sustainable solutions to food insecurity. "We believe that food is medicine," he said. 

Many of the items in the pantry are fresh and come straight from local farms.

"Almost 30% of Baltimoreans experience food insecurity. and we believe food is health, so we try to make sure that everyone has access to those fresh items," Myers explained. 

As a diabetic, Scott-Butler was able to help stabilize her sugars better, thanks to AHF.

According to her, volunteering at Food for Health is more than just getting free groceries, it's about giving back. 

"There's no judgment. It is a safe space. We are here to help," Butler stated. 

The Food for Health Pantry is open every Saturday morning from 8:00 a.m.- 11:00 a.m. at St. John's United Methodist Church on St. Paul Street. 

To shop, attendees must make an appointment. To learn more, . 

© 2025 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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