Montgomery County Food Policy Council Coordinator Sam Applefield received a special state distinction, a county spokesperson said Friday, having been appointed to the Governor’s Food Policy Advisory Committee.
Applefield will serve on the statewide committee established by Gov. Josh Shapiro tasked with better equipping the state’s food system to combat the food insecurity crisis across Pennsylvania.
“I am honored to serve on the Governor’s Food Policy Advisory Committee to bring Montgomery County’s perspectives to this statewide effort,” Applefield said in a statement on Friday. “Our communities are seeing a rising need, but we are also seeing powerful local solutions.”
The Governor’s Food Policy Committee works to coordinate efforts among state agencies, foster public-private partnerships, highlight existing challenges and provide strategies to provide more access for those in need and strengthen food security efforts, according to a county spokesperson.
Advocates and government officials alike as food insecurity plagues the state’s second wealthiest county. Nearly 42 million people across the nation rely on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program dollars, including some 63,000 individuals locally.
Food insecurity concerns were exacerbated during the 43-day-long federal government shutdown last year, which threatened assistance for many who use SNAP benefits to feed their families.
A Share Food Program storage warehouse opened last month in Hatfield as an effort to alleviate burdens surrounding hunger continues. County commissioners have also provided a cash infusion of funds for area food pantries, which have experienced a 9 percent increase over the last year.
The role food pantries play has been on display for years now as around 85,000 people reportedly experienced food insecurity in Montgomery County in 2023, according to Feeding America.
Applefield headed up the county’s seven-member Food Policy Council, created back in March 2024, as members aimed to develop policy recommendations that consolidate the efforts of different agencies in the region. Participating members lend their expertise from a variety of backgrounds, including farms, food pantries, service providers, as well as community and government representatives.
Applefield’s long stressed the importance of taking a multi-pronged approach that focuses on equity, sustainability, accessibility, and outreach.
“In two years at the helm of Montgomery County’s inaugural Food Policy Council, our community has seen the deep, lasting impact that Sam’s leadership has made on food security for our most vulnerable friends and neighbors,” Montgomery County Commissioners’ Chairwoman Jamila Winder said in a statement. “His work has ensured widespread access to food in pantries across the county, while strengthening Montgomery County’s ability to grow, procure, store, and distribute food for many years to come.”
