MARYLAND - More than 680,000 Marylanders stand to lose federally funded food aid if the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program lapses on Saturday, November 1.
Food banks on Maryland's Eastern Shore are already stretched thin as the longest full government shutdown in American history continues.
Salisbury Urban Ministries served Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester counties through its food bank. Executive Director Debbie Donaway said the need for food assistance has been steadily increasing for months.
"We're seeing folks that have families who have not had to ask for help before," Donaway said. "This is before November the 1st, so what's November the 1st going to look like?"
Urban Ministries keeps shelves stocked with donations, the Emergency Food Assistance Program and its partnership with organizations like the Maryland Food Bank.
Donaway said the potential post-SNAP influx would only compound the issues they have already been contending with. She said the list of food they can expect to receive in November through the Emergency Food Assistance Program is significantly shorter than usual.
The Maryland Food Bank held a press conference on Wednesday to discuss how it is preparing to increase aid if SNAP funds are frozen. Officials said they will begin purchasing about $3 million worth of additional food this week to supply its partners throughout Maryland.
The international non-profit United Way has an acronym for people who don't earn enough to afford basic necessities: ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed.
United Way Lower Eastern Shore reports 47% of local households are ALICE.
"Nearly half of all neighbors are already struggling to make ends meet, many of whom are already receiving benefits like SNAP," United Way Lower Eastern Shore President and CEO Pam Gregory said. "If they lose those, that compounds the issue."
During previous government shutdowns, the federal government reimbursed Maryland for funding critical programs like SNAP. Maryland Governor Wes Moore said in a statement last week that the Trump Administration has provided zero reimbursement assurance.
"We cannot use capital that is destined and intended for bridging federal reimbursement when the federal government says, 'You're getting nothing,'" Governor Moore told reporters during a visit to a food pantry in Prince George's County last Friday.
Gregory said United Way is working closely with its partners to identify immediate needs and promote available resources, especially for first-time help seekers.
"If we can as a community, help folks find that stability again, it will make our whole community more resilient and stronger in the long run," Gregory said.
Anyone interested in donating or volunteering with the Salisbury Urban Ministries food bank can find more information here.
Those seeking food assistance can call 2-1-1 to connect with the United Way Maryland helpline. More information is available here.