Up to $100 in additional benefits available per family in some of Carroll County’s most rural communities.
Carroll County Commissioners unanimously agreed to approve the required county match of $45,431 in order to receive a $65,376 grant from the state to bolster the Summer Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for fiscal year 2024. While there are a number of food pantries in the county, low-income residents in rural areas of Carroll face transportation challenges when it comes to accessing these vital resources during the summer months when school is not in session. Sending resources directly to reliant families allows more flexibility when considering meal options and avoids putting strain on other funds such as gas money or bus fare.
This news comes at a time when rising food costs continue to hamper even families that would normally be able to make ends meet. February 28th, 2023 was the cut off for emergency federal SNAP supplements in Carroll and therefore all SNAP recipients in the county have seen a recent decrease in the funding they are receiving. With this new grant, projections estimate more than 1,100 children ages 5-18 will receive the enhanced supplement, which is of particular need in the more remote neighborhoods of Carroll County between Route-140 and Interstate-70.
