Governor Wes Moore Declares A State Of Emergency And Takes Action In Support Of Marylanders Impacted By The Federal Government Shutdown And Suspension Of November SNAP Benefits

Gov. Wes Moore logo

November 5, 2025

Today Governor Moore declared a State of Emergency and announced $10M in emergency funding for food assistance partners to support Marylanders impacted by the federal government’s unprecedented suspension of November Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The federal government has directed the State of Maryland to halt SNAP benefits and is choosing to withhold the release of contingency funding for the program, as required by law. Because of these actions, SNAP benefits will not be deposited on electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards for November. As a result, the 680,000 Marylanders who rely on SNAP to eat – including nearly 270,000 children and 120,000 older adults – will be without essential food assistance during the month of November.

The Moore-Miller Administration will not standby while the federal government makes it harder for Marylanders to put food on the table. In addition to the surge of funding to food assistance partners across the state, the Moore-Miller Administration is announcing additional actions to increase access to food during this difficult time. Today’s actions build upon previous steps Governor Moore announced earlier this month to support Maryland’s federal public servants and contractors impacted by the shutdown furloughs, as well as the thousands of Marylanders who rely on interrupted federal programs and services.

Food banks, food pantries, and other food assistance partners across Maryland are bracing for a significant increase in demand during the month of November due to the suspension of SNAP benefits. These organizations are already stretched thin due to shutdown-related furloughs and the ongoing impacts of federal workforce layoffs, firings, and changes to federal funding.

To rush support to these partners during this unprecedented crisis, Governor Moore announced that his Administration will surge $10 million in emergency grant funding to food assistance partners in Maryland. The Moore-Miller administration will deliver these funds to the food assistance organizations across the state, including local non-profits, faith-based organizations, school pantries, and those with regional distribution capacity. The Department of Human Services (DHS) will work with food assistance partners in every corner of the state to ensure that funds are distributed efficiently, transparently and accountably. DHS will use food security data to ensure resources are quickly dispersed to communities with the greatest needs. The Department of Emergency Management will support DHS.

The federal government’s failure to provide the essential resources that Marylanders rely on comes at an already difficult time for many Maryland families. Rising healthcare costs, federal funding cuts to essential programs, and ongoing federal workforce layoffs and furloughs are threatening the monthly budgets of thousands of Marylanders. Under the newly declared State of Emergency, the Moore-Miller Administration has new authority to take action to provide relief to Maryland families. Governor Moore is dedicated to supporting Marylanders impacted by the shutdown and suspension in November SNAP benefits and will continue to share additional actions and resources in the days ahead.

Status of Existing State Assistance Programs

Although SNAP benefits have been suspended by the federal government during the month of November, Maryland will continue to:

Issue cash assistance for the Temporary Disability Assistance Program and the Temporary Cash Assistance Program in November at this time.
Issue Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program benefits for now and continue to process new WIC applications. The Maryland Department of Health will provide regular updates to recipients as we continue to monitor the status of federal funding.
Process new SNAP applications even while November benefits are suspended.
Operate all existing Medical Assistance Programs during the month of November.

Maryland residents should keep all information up to date and apply at MarylandBenefits.gov to ensure benefits are received following the federal government shutdown.

Food Assistance Resources for Marylanders

Maryland also partners with a variety of food assistance programs across the state. These resources are available during the federal government shutdown and remain active for new participants.

Finding a Local Food Pantry or Food Bank: Access the Maryland Department of Human Services website to find the nearest The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) provider or enter your zip code at the Maryland Food Bank, Capital Area Food Bank, and 211 Maryland website to locate the nearest food pantry or food bank.

Maintaining Maryland Market Money (MMM) for SNAP recipients: MMM removes economic barriers for Marylanders experiencing food insecurity, providing a dollar-for-dollar match, up to a maximum of $20 per person per day, for purchases made using federal nutrition benefits at participating Maryland farmers markets, farm stands, and community supported agriculture sites.
In response to the interruption of SNAP benefits during the ongoing federal government shutdown, the Maryland Department of Agriculture will implement a short-term emergency intervention through the MMM Bridge Benefit program. This temporary initiative will authorize participating Food Access Points to issue an emergency benefit of up to $20 per household per market day to SNAP customers who experience declined transactions, helping maintain food access for Maryland families while ensuring farmers continue to earn income through direct sales. Marylanders can use MMM at 50+ participating food access points serving over 700 farmers and food producers in Maryland. MMM will continue to match Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), including Summer SUN Bucks and Pandemic/Disaster EBT, transactions as available and operate all standard incentive programs for eligible nutrition benefits, including the Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) and the Women, Infant, and Children Fruit & Vegetable benefit (WIC-CVV/B), during the federal government shutdown. Find a food access point or learn more by visiting the Maryland Market Money website.

After school meal benefits for students: Maryland State Department of Education has begun working with local education agencies (LEAs) to increase awareness of the availability of current after school meal programs in communities across the state. Students currently approved for free meals under SNAP will continue to receive meal benefits for the duration of this school year. Students newly eligible and approved for SNAP benefits or who attend a school participating in the Community Eligibility Program (CEP) will also qualify for free school meals. Parents and guardians who are currently furloughed may use their current household income to complete a meal benefit application with their local school district.

Resources for Older Adults, People with Disabilities, and Veterans

Maryland Access Point (MAP): The state's central resource for older adults and people with disabilities to connect directly to local food banks, senior center meal programs, utility assistance, and other critical supports. Connect with MAP by calling 1-844-MAP-LINK or by visiting their site for links to specialized support and resources.

Congregate Meals: There are over 175 congregate nutrition programs across the state offered in more than 250 locations, serving approximately 35,000 older adults in the State of Maryland. Meal sites offer an opportunity to meet new friends and engage in other social or health-related programs including nutrition education, physical activity, and health screening.

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Home-Delivered Meals: Older adults who have mobility difficulties may qualify for nutritious meals to be delivered directly to their homes. Participants are required to complete a qualification process including a nutrition screening and report on functional ability. Over 11,500 older adults receive home delivered meals in the State of Maryland. Marylanders can use this tool to find a program near them.

Maryland Department of Disabilities Constituent Services Line: The Maryland Department of Disabilities (MDOD) operates a constituent services line to serve Marylanders by providing information and assistance to individuals as they navigate the human services system. During the federal government shutdown, the line will operate with enhanced monitoring to help connect constituents with available programs and services. MDOD constituent services staff can be reached at (410) 767-3660.

Connecting Veterans to Benefits and Supports: Veterans can contact a local veterans benefits specialist through the Department of Veterans and Military Families (DVMF) benefits webpage to get support applying for veterans benefits and finding other resources in their communities. DVMF is also home to the Maryland Veterans Trust Fund, a 501(c)(3) organization that provides one-time grant awards to assist with temporary financial challenges. Active-duty service members, Maryland National Guard and Reserves members, Veterans, Gold Star Parents and Spouses, and Widow or Widowers may apply online. For a more comprehensive list of resources available to veterans impacted by the shutdown, Marylanders can visit DVMF’s shutdown resource webpage.

Information on Food Insecurity in Maryland

To better understand the impact and need for food assistance in your community, access the Maryland Hunger Map.
To view the impact of the federal government shutdown on federal workers in need of food assistance, access this map from the Maryland Food Bank.
To navigate regional food pantries, SNAP retailers, and more, explore the Maryland Department of Information Technology’s food insecurity map for the Food Systems Resiliency Council.

Today’s announcement built upon previous actions Governor Moore has taken to support Marylanders during the federal government shutdown.

On October 1, the Moore-Miller Administration announced a series of actions to protect Marylanders during the federal government shutdown. According to data from 2023, there are approximately 269,000 federal employees residing in the State of Maryland and 225,000 contractors working in Maryland. These actions built upon previous steps Governor Moore announced in February of this year to support Maryland’s federal workers impacted by federal workforce layoffs, firings, and changes to federal funding.

Actions announced by Governor Moore on October 1st included:

Resource page including key resources available to federal employees and contractors impacted during the federal government shutdown, such as unemployment insurance and housing and utility protections. This page builds upon the centralized hub created earlier this year in support of Maryland’s federal employees and contractors impacted by federal workforce layoffs, firings, and changes to federal funding. You can visit this page at: go.md.gov/FederalShutdown

Since launch, the Maryland Public Servants Resource Website has had more than 199,000 unique visitors and more than 263,000 views.

Highlighted Unemployment Insurance (UI): During a shutdown, furloughed federal employees who are not receiving pay and not working (“furloughed” employees) are eligible for UI. However, because those individuals will later receive back pay, they are required to repay their UI benefits. Federal employees can learn more online or apply.

Launched the Federal Shutdown Loan Program: This program provides qualified Maryland residents a $700 interest-free loan. Federal employees designated as “excepted” employees (sometimes referred to as “essential”), who continue working without pay during the period of a shutdown, may be eligible and can apply online.

Eviction and foreclosure protections: An involuntarily furloughed federal, state, or local government employee at risk of eviction or foreclosure has protections under law and can ask the court to temporarily pause the eviction or foreclosure during the shutdown. To learn more about these protections and eligibility, please visit the Governor's resource page for federal employees impacted by the federal government shutdown.

Utility protections: An involuntarily furloughed federal government employee who is not receiving a paycheck as a result of a government shutdown has protections under law. Electric or gas providers cannot cut off service due to unpaid bills. To learn more about these protections and eligibility, please visit the Governor’s resource page for federal employees impacted by the federal government shutdown.

Resources available through Maryland Credit Unions: Credit unions may be offering financial assistance and payment flexibility for members affected by changes to their federal employment status due to the shutdown. Members are encouraged to contact their credit union directly to determine eligibility and learn about available relief programs.

Resources available through Maryland Chartered Banks: Bank customers affected by changes to their federal employment status due to the shutdown are encouraged to contact their bank directly to learn if their bank is offering any relief programs specific to the government shutdown.