Maryland Food Bank Responds to Looming SNAP Funding Halt Amid Ongoing Government Shutdown

The Maryland Food Bank (MFB) recently held a press conference to address the deepening impact of the ongoing federal government shutdown and the expected suspension of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits beginning November 1.

SNAP, the nation’s most critical hunger-prevention program, currently supports more than 680,000 Marylanders and nearly 370,000 Maryland households. With federal funding set to lapse in just days, MFB is preparing for an unprecedented rise in need across its statewide network of nearly 800 partner pantries.

“SNAP provides nine meals for every one meal provided by the charitable food network,” said Meg Kimmel, President & CEO of the Maryland Food Bank. “To meet even 15 percent of the need created by this disruption, we would have to quadruple our food output overnight – an impossible task for any nonprofit. As mighty as we may be, we cannot replace SNAP. But we are doing everything in our power to fill the gap and support our neighbors.”

Kimmel noted that MFB has already begun seeing early warning signs of heightened demand, including a 170% increase in visits to the organization’s “Find Food” webpage and record-high calls for assistance over the past week.

In response, MFB is taking decisive action to ensure Marylanders continue to have access to food:

Purchasing upwards of $3 million worth of food to supplement donated supplies, which partners can order at no cost.
Working with the City of Baltimore to strengthen local pantry capacity and expand home-delivered grocery programs beyond the current 4,000 boxes per month.
Coordinating with state and local partners to distribute food as efficiently and equitably as possible in the coming weeks.

“The Maryland Food Bank has always been there for our neighbors in times of crisis, and that commitment will not change,” Kimmel added. “We are grateful to our public partners, private funders, and individual donors who make our work possible. But we also need action at the federal level to restore this essential lifeline for Maryland families.”

MFB urges the public to support in three key ways:

Contact lawmakers and urge them to take action to restore SNAP funding.
Support local food pantries by volunteering or donating food & supplies.
Donate to the Maryland Food Bank, where every dollar helps provide meals to Marylanders in need.