As the federal government continues to falter in its obligations to low-income families during the protracted shutdown, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has moved decisively to fill the void.
On Monday, Moore authorized the release of $62 million in state funding to guarantee that all Marylanders receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will receive their full November allotments.
The action comes as the Trump administration proceeds with its plan to distribute only partial food stamp payments, covering roughly half of the November benefits owed to the 42 million Americans who depend on the program. Two federal judges recently ruled that the administration’s suspension of SNAP payments violated the law and ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture to use contingency funds to maintain the program. However, the administration opted to pay only a portion, leaving states scrambling to prevent widespread hunger.
“One of the first and most basic priorities of governing is to ensure that families do not go hungry,” Moore said in announcing the executive order. “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.”
The $62 million will be drawn from Maryland’s Fiscal Responsibility Fund. It supplements $10 million Moore previously released to support food banks and community organizations confronting surging demand. The state’s Department of Human Services will oversee distribution of the funds to ensure that families relying on SNAP, about 360,000 households, receive uninterrupted benefits this month.
“Maryland families shouldn’t have to suffer because the federal government chose to pause vital benefits,” said Human Services Secretary Rafael López. “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 joined a multistate lawsuit late last month challenging the Trump administration’s suspension of SNAP, arguing that the federal government has both the authority and the funds to sustain the program. The legal action, filed alongside several governors and attorneys general, contends that the administration’s decision violates both federal law and decades of precedent during past shutdowns, when food benefits continued uninterrupted.
The state also declared a temporary State of Emergency to address the cascading effects of the shutdown, which has left thousands of federal employees furloughed or without pay. In Maryland, home to more than 269,000 federal workers, Moore’s order ensures not only continued SNAP assistance but also broader support services, including food access, unemployment insurance, legal guidance, and health coverage.
In the District, Mayor Muriel Bowser also stepped in, allocating $29 million from local contingency funds to cover partial federal payments and prevent hunger among 85,000 District households.
While the Trump administration insists that it lacks sufficient reserves to provide full assistance, state officials across the region warn that such austerity in the face of need risks deepening hunger and economic instability.
“We are seeing local governments doing what Washington refuses to do,” Moore said. “We’ll protect our people, but we will not stop demanding that the federal government live up to its most basic responsibilities.”
