More Than 35,000 Marylanders Dropped From SNAP Program

More than 35,000 Maryland residents have lost access to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits since new federal eligibility rules took effect last November, according to Gov. Wes Moore’s office.

SNAP is a federally funded program that helps low-income households purchase food. Although the federal government provides the funding, states administer the program and determine eligibility based on factors such as income, residency and work requirements.

Moore’s office said the state is taking additional steps to help eligible Marylanders maintain or restore their benefits. Those efforts include a new text message campaign expected to launch in the coming weeks, CBS Baltimore reports.

Maryland’s SNAP program serves more than 625,000 residents each month, including nearly 266,000 children, according to the Maryland Department of Human Services. The average recipient receives about $182 per month.

Federal changes implemented last year expanded reporting and eligibility requirements for certain recipients. Some participants must now document their work hours, while some immigrant groups, including refugees and asylum seekers, are required to have a Green Card to remain eligible.

At least 35,861 Maryland residents have lost their benefits under the new rules, Moore’s office announced Wednesday.

Those affected include 12,401 adults between the ages of 55 and 64, 11,974 people in households with children between 14 and 17 years old, 11,472 people experiencing homelessness and 4,566 lawful immigrants.

The governor said the state has been working to reduce the impact of the federal changes and help eligible residents reconnect with the program. His office also said federal data shows Maryland’s decline in SNAP participation has been less severe than decreases reported in several 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.

Moore added that the administration will continue working to eliminate barriers, connect eligible residents with benefits and prevent Maryland families from going hungry.