More than 35k Marylanders lost SNAP benefits under federal changes. Here's what the state is doing about it.
More than 35,000 Maryland residents have lost their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits since the federal government enacted new rules for the program last November, according to Gov. Wes Moore's office.
SNAP benefits are federally funded to provide low-income households with food assistance. They are administered by individual states, and recipients must meet certain income, residency and work requirements.
The governor's office said in a statement that his office is taking steps "to help eligible Marylanders keep and reconnect to their benefits." One of those steps is a new text message campaign that's set to roll out in the coming weeks.
Who lost SNAP benefits in Maryland?
Maryland's SNAP program feeds more than 625,000 people each month, including nearly 266,000 children, according to the website of Maryland's Department of Human Services (DHS). The average monthly benefit is $182 per customer.
The federal changes that went into effect last year impacted who is eligible and how much assistance they may receive. Some recipients are now required to report work hours, and some immigrant groups, like refugees and people seeking asylum, are now required to have a Green Card.
Moore's office announced Wednesday at least 35,861 residents have lost their benefits under these new rules. That number includes:
- 12,401 adults between the ages of 55 and 64
- 11,974 people in families with children ages 14 to 17
- 11,472 people experiencing homelessness
- 4,566 lawful immigrants
Here's what's being done about it
The governor said his office has been working to help those impacted by the changes, and he noted that federal data shows Maryland's SNAP participation had dropped less sharply than other states.
"Despite unprecedented federal attacks on the services our communities rely on for their wellbeing, we're fighting back against H.R. 1 to ensure Maryland families have access to their food assistance," Moore said in a statement Wednesday. "Our administration is working to remove federal red tape and connect eligible Marylanders to SNAP benefits. Our efforts are working; and we remain committed to protecting our people in these difficult times, so families don't go hungry."
Moore highlighted four ways his administration has responded, including launching the Maryland Benefits One Application, which he said connected more than 289,554 residents with SNAP benefits since it rolled out a year ago. He also pointed to changes in the benefit renewal process and the state's new chip-and-tap Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards.
To reach more impacted recipients, Moore said his office will start sending out targeted text messages in the coming weeks. This effort aims to notify approximately 25,000 people who lost access to their benefits because of the work requirement that they can reapply and continue to receive benefits while working to meet the new requirement.
Maryland's SNAP under scrutiny
Earlier this month, a report from the General Assembly's Office of Legislative Audits Department found Maryland's Department of Human Services wrongly administered SNAP benefits to ineligible residents, including one person with $2 million in lottery winnings and more than 1,850 people who were incarcerated at the time.
In some cases, the recipients had been flagged by the state's computer systems, but their eligibility was not revoked.
"We are committed to ensuring findings are fully resolved and are used to strengthen the integrity and performance of the programs we administer," DHS said in response.
The state's annual SNAP error rate -- which is based on both over and underpayments -- resulted in $28 million in federal penalties from 2022 to 2024, the report said. Federal regulations penalize states with error rates above the national average for two consecutive years.
