Unless something changes within the next few days, more than 690,000 Marylanders will suddenly be unable to put enough food on the table starting Nov. 1. Children, seniors, people with disabilities, and other Marylanders in need are at great risk of going hungry in the coming weeks because the Trump administration decided not to deliver November food assistance payments to eligible families nationwide due to the federal government shutdown. Gov. Wes Moore has said Maryland cannot fill the gap in aid left by the federal government.
While individual Marylanders across the state are stepping up to support their neighbors in need, it will not likely be enough to replace the millions of dollars that would normally be going to low-income households who are eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Food banks were already struggling to deal with recent federal funding cuts while meeting increasing demand. Organizations providing food aid have seen increasing need due to the rapidly rising food costs of the last few years, the surge of federal employee layoffs, and the government workers now going without paychecks since the federal government shutdown began on Oct. 1 as a result of Congress failing to pass a budget.
Trump Administration Should Fund November SNAP Benefits
Ultimately, the path to restoring funding for food assistance and other essential services is for Congress to pass legislation to fund and fully reopen the government. The harm of the shutdown to Maryland families and businesses grows the longer the impasse continues.
However, the Trump administration’s decision not to fund November SNAP payments appears to be a purely political one, with highly partisan messages displayed on the U.S. Department of Agriculture website. There are congressionally approved reserve funds that the administration could and should use to provide November’s food assistance to the 1 in 8 Americans who count on it to buy groceries. National policy experts say that federal laws and past precedent not only allow, but require, the use of these reserve funds.
The administration blames Democrats for the funding loss, as Democrats in the Senate have refused to vote for a short-term budget bill unless it addresses the expiration of tax credits that are poised to significantly increase the cost of health insurance in the new year if they are not extended. However, Republicans in Congress and the Trump administration were already working to undermine SNAP and passed historic, permanent cuts to food assistance in July.
SNAP Provides a Vital Lifeline for Maryland Families
More than 690,000 Marylanders are better able to afford their groceries each month because of SNAP, a program that is also critical to our economy.
Most SNAP recipients (about 59% in Maryland) are children whose parents are experiencing a temporary hardship or are working in jobs that don’t pay enough to cover basic expenses. For most Marylanders, making sure children don’t go hungry is reason enough to support the program, but it has other benefits as well. Research shows that children’s access to sufficient, nutritious food in childhood has long-term benefits for their health, educational outcomes, and careers.
In addition, about one-third of SNAP recipients in Maryland are in households with at least one member who is an older adult or disabled. More than two-thirds of SNAP recipients are trying to get by on incomes below the federal poverty level, less than $27,000 a year for a family of three, with the remainder earning slightly above that. These families do not have room in their budgets to make up for the loss of food assistance.
SNAP funds also boost grocery stores and corner markets, particularly in lower income communities. A USDA study estimated that every $1 spent on SNAP generates about $1.50 in economic activity. In other words, losing one month’s worth of SNAP benefits could sap about $200 million from Maryland’s economy.
State Leaders Should Step in to Support Families
While no state is able to replace the role of the federal government in the long term, especially when it comes to a large public assistance program like SNAP, Maryland policymakers have options. If the federal government won’t act, Gov. Moore should follow the lead of his counterparts in other states and find a way to help struggling families afford food.
Funding a full month of SNAP payments would cost roughly $130 million, which would strain the state’s already-stretched budget. The governor is correct that there is no precedent for the federal government reimbursing states for using their own funds to pay for food assistance, and the Trump administration has indicated that they would not do so.
However, hungry kids can’t wait for Congress to act and pass a budget. Here are several ways the state could help provide some short-term relief:
- Pay full or partial SNAP payments using state funds. The state could cover the full amount Marylanders would typically receive, or provide one or two weeks’ worth of assistance in hopes that the federal government reopens and normal payments are restored in the coming weeks. Virginia’s governor has said he will use state funds to fund SNAP and Vermont legislators are considering a similar proposal.
- These funds could potentially come from the state’s “Rainy Day Fund,” a cash reserve fund that had $2.1 billion in it when legislators passed the current budget. Following the end of the last budget year in June, the state added an additional $190 million to the fund due to higher-than-expected revenues. However, policymakers must follow legal restrictions on the use of reserve funds and ultimately replace them.
- Provide one-time payments using federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds. There is a provision under this federally funded program that allows the state to issue one-time, unrestricted cash assistance for one-time needs. Hawaii leaders have said they plan to use TANF funds to assist families.
- Issue additional grants to nonprofit organizations, such as food banks, that are working hard to fill the gap and feed hungry Marylanders. Multiple states are taking this approach, including West Virginia, Connecticut and Minnesota.
Where to Find Help or Support Neighbors in Need
For help finding food in the Washington, D.C. region, see the Capital Area Food Bank’s interactive map of partner locations.
For those in the rest of the state, the Maryland Food Bank has a list of local organizations offering food assistance.