Food distribution event to be held in West Baltimore on Saturday

The Baltimore organization, KEYS Empowers, plans to hold a food distribution cookout to feed families in West Baltimore on Saturday.

The food distribution event hopes to address the challenge families face without daily access to the school district's free meal program.

"Our desire at KEYS Empowers is that this will be the first of an ongoing monthly food distribution program," said Baltimore City Schools Board Commissioner and KEYS Empowers Founder Mujahid Muhammad. "Each child will be provided a backpack full of food staples and easy-to-prepare meal kits."

The event will be hosted at 1511 Ashburton Street from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The celebratory kickoff will include a barbecue lunch and a DJ. Groceries will also be distributed to attendees.

Muhammad said the nonprofit is expected to feed roughly 200 families. He said he's going door to door to let neighbors know about the event.

The organization is also planting roots in the community while constructing a new facility called KEYS Community Healing Village.

"Yes, the building and the Healing Village is in construction, but summer is on the way, and a lot of our families and young people lean on schools to ensure that they're fed," he said. "So, while we see a gap, we want to be able to fill that gap."

KEYS Community Healing Village

"The idea is how do we create mentorship, how do we create healing, how do we stabilize a community, using the dignity that already exists," Muhammad explained.

The organization hopes to provide meals to 300 families per day, year-round.

Muhammad said he wants this community to have access to their needs without having to go to other neighborhoods.

"That includes workforce development," he said. "It includes early education. That may include afterschool programming."

He said he wants to hear from neighbors on what else they'd like to see inside this facility. So during the Saturday event, he wants to get input from residents.

He adds that more community events are coming down the pipeline to engage with community residents. He said the neighbors have already formed a task force to discuss what future events will look like.

"The work cannot wait on the building because the need is already here," Muhammad said.

The facility is expected to open towards the end of next summer.