As federal food assistance remains uncertain, Maryland food banks are facing a surge in demand from families struggling to put food on the table.
According to an article from The Baltimore Sun, despite the State’s pledge of $62 million to sustain Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for Marylanders, food banks across the state report more people seeking help since federal SNAP funds ran short last week.
The federal government, ordered by the courts to fully fund SNAP during the ongoing government shutdown, has committed only half of the necessary contingency funds. In response, Governor Wes Moore announced the State would draw from the Fiscal Responsibility Fund to cover full November benefits.
As previously covered by MACo, Governor Moore’s executive order fills the gap, ensuring that Maryland families receive full November SNAP benefits, and the State expects federal reimbursement, as SNAP remains a federal responsibility.
From the article:
Right now we are in such a time of nobody knows what’s happening, and it changes by the moment. Everyone’s worried because they don’t know if they’re going to have food or not, said Westminster Rescue Mission CEO Stephanie Halley.
Even as donations and volunteers increase, food banks are bracing for a sustained surge in need through the holidays and beyond. Statewide, more than 680,000 Marylanders, including nearly 270,000 children, receive SNAP benefits. With uncertainty at the federal level and delays in state support reaching the ground, local food providers are working urgently to fill the gap.
