More than $4.6 million in support available for Baltimore residents amid government shutdown
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott announced more than $4.6 million in support programs for residents impacted by the ongoing federal government shutdown.
On Wednesday, the shutdown reached 35 days, making it the longest in U.S. history.
According to Scott, the funding will help residents with rent, food, and childcare costs, and will support institutions that rely on federal funding to provide life-saving services.
"Here in Baltimore, I want to be very clear that we take care of our neighbors, especially in situations like this, and I want to thank everyone for stepping up in this moment," Mayor Scott said.
Assistance for federal workers in Baltimore
According to Scott, $1.7 million in funds will be allocated for food assistance.
The money will be used to fund the Maryland Food Bank, to provide grants for organizations like the Food Project, So What Else, and the Baltimore Hunger Project, and to support food box and fresh produce programs.
"We know that SNAP benefits run out on November 1st, and government employees and contractors are facing a second missed paycheck, which is why we are moving quickly here," the mayor said.
Another $975,00 will be used to support hospitals. Roughly $1 million will help impacted federal workers with childcare services, and another $1 million will be for rental and living assistance.
"We know that because of this shutdown, these institutions were facing the risk of layoffs by the end of the week," Scott said. "This is about keeping our neighborhood safe, getting our residents the care they need, and protecting the folks that keep our city healthy, while continuing to drive down violence at historic rates here in Baltimore."
Millions in funding will also be used for rental assistance. Federal employees and contractors whose primary residence is a rental property can apply to have their rent covered.
City residents whose primary residence is federally subsidized can apply to have their November rent covered.
Residents will have to provide documentation to show that they qualify for the rental support.
"Our federal workforce has already been through so much since January, but this shutdown is yet another slap in the face to folks who serve this country each and every day with dignity."
Impact on federal workers
According to the mayor's office, Baltimore is home to nearly 12,000 federal employees.
Maryland has more than 60 federal facilities, 260,000 federal employees, and 200,000 federal contractors.
Thousands of federal workers have been furloughed, while others deemed essential — such as law enforcement officers, hospital employees, and Transportation Security Administration staff — continue to work without pay until the shutdown ends.
Maryland is also offering a one-time, no-interest loan of $700 to help affected workers cover essential expenses, including rent and groceries.
"I'm a furloughed federal worker, proud civil servant, proud AFGE union member, and a proud Baltimore City resident," said Alex, a furloughed federal worker. "Our reps are finally taking a stand against this lawlessness. So, I want to urge them to continue to hold the line, extract concessions from this shutdown, save our services, not just now, but permanently."
Concerns over food assistance
Residents who depend on federally funded food programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Women, Infants and Children (WIC) are growing anxious, with benefits set to stop on Nov. 1.
Roughly 42 million Americans rely on SNAP benefits, CBS News reported. The Trump administration has said it will not use about $5 billion in contingency funds to keep the program operating into November.
In Baltimore, several businesses have begun offering discounts and free items to federal workers as the shutdown continues.
Organizations like The Food Project in Southwest Baltimore are worried as the need for food increases.
"21223 is not only the poorest zip code in Baltimore, it's the poorest zip code in Maryland," said The Food Project Executive Director Michelle Suazo. "So, the need is so extreme."
