Maryland Governor Wes Moore announced Monday, Nov. 3, that $62 million from state funds will be used to fund SNAP benefits for Maryland residents in November. The SNAP program hangs in the balance due to the government shutdown. The federal government was found to be withholding contingency funds that would normally be used to fund SNAP during emergencies.
SNAP, which is short for the supplemental nutrition assistance program, helps many Americans afford food. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates that more than 41 million Americans relied on SNAP benefits in 2024, with about 11% of Maryland’s population depending on the program. Many SNAP recipients are families with children or are people with disabilities.
Moore’s executive order funding SNAP for Maryland residents ensures that the program will continue to run for at least the next month. The federal government was ordered to use contingency funds to pay for SNAP, but the Trump Administration’s response indicates that the government will only be paying for 50% of SNAP benefits.
“One of the first and most basic priorities of governing is to ensure that families do not go hungry,” says Gov. Moore, in a news release. “We will continue to do everything in our power to protect our people in these difficult times. But no state can fill the enormous gap created by Donald Trump and his administration. It’s time for the federal government to do its job and fully fund food assistance.”
Moore declared a State of Emergency due to the suspension in SNAP funding last week, as well as issuing an executive order to send $10 million in emergency funding to local food banks and organizations focused on addressing hunger. Both this and the $62 million donation were from Maryland’s Fiscal Responsibility Fund.
“Maryland families shouldn’t have to suffer because the federal government chose to pause vital benefits,” says Maryland Department of Human Services Secretary Rafael López, in a news release. “The governor’s decisive action is helping prevent Maryland families from going hungry during this senseless government shutdown. We will move urgently to get Marylanders the SNAP benefits their families depend on to put food on the table.”
Maryland is currently part of a suit against the Trump Administration for suspending SNAP benefits, along with New York, New Jersey, Delaware and 19 other U.S. states.
The Maryland Department of Human Services is continuing to process new SNAP applications at MarylandBenefits.gov. Marylanders in need of food assistance should visit 211maryland.org.
