Maryland Food Bank prepares for surge of need when SNAP benefits stop
The Maryland Food Bank announced it is spending millions of dollars and ramping up its services ahead of SNAP benefits slated to end on Nov. 1.
In Maryland, it's set to impact around 680,000 people -- around 270,000 of whom are children.
Bracing for impact
Meg Kimmel, President and CEO of the Maryland Food Bank, said the organization is already seeing the impacts of the situation.
She said there have been more visits to the food bank's website, with a record 4,000 visits to its "Find Food" page, which helps people locate food pantries in their area.
Kimmel's staff has also been answering more phone calls from people.
While there have been other government shutdowns recently, Kimmel has described this one as uncharted territory.
"During previous government shutdowns, SNAP was there. During the pandemic, SNAP benefits were increased. We've never been in a situation where SNAP benefits have been taken off the table," Kimmel said.
To help SNAP beneficiaries, the food bank is preparing to buy upwards of $3 million in food to allow its over 800 community partners to order food from the food bank for free.
The food bank will also be expanding home deliveries. Right now, it coordinates around 4,000 a month.
All of this is expected to help the state get through November.
Kimmel said 1-in-3 Marylanders are food insecure. While the food bank is trying to fill what SNAP provides, she describes it as an uphill battle.
To meet even 15% of the need covered by SNAP, Kimmel said the food bank would have to quadruple its output nearly overnight.
This year, there's been an increased need from federal workers, who were either fired or furloughed. When that's coupled with the federal funding cuts from earlier in the year, it puts a tighter squeeze on everything, according to Kimmel.
"Our current state is that we are operating at 95% capacity," Kimmel said. "Even though there are significant contractions to federal benefits programs, there's a government shutdown, and there are other challenges that we're facing. So, not a place we want to be."
Maryland leaders call out the Trump administration
U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat from Maryland, joined other U.S. Senators on Wednesday, urging the Trump administration to use the over $5 billion in contingency funds to keep SNAP running.
"They know they've got the money and they are choosing not to use it for this purpose," Van Hollen said.
The Trump administration contends it's not able to use that money because of the shutdown.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, meanwhile, reiterated the state will continue to do what it can to help. But also reiterating there is a limit.
"There is no state that can simply say, well, if the federal government decides not to do its job, we're just going to redo our balance sheet," Moore said. "That's not real."