The Roadmap proposes to reduce food insecurity for nearly 600,000 Marylanders by increasing funding for these 3 programs that already exist, but are all underfunded:
Summer SNAP for Children
● Maryland’s Summer SNAP for Children builds on the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which reduces food insecurity and poverty.
● Summer SNAP for Children helps families access food during school breaks by providing a state and county funded supplement that is automatically added to existing SNAP accounts.
● The total cost to fully fund this program is just $100 per child, per year.
● Fully funded, this program could reach more than 400,000 children, including young children under 5 and school-aged children. However, given inadequate funding levels, only 4,290 children received this support in 2021, and while Governor Hogan increased funding for 2022, the program remains underfunded and still only reaches a fraction of children in need.
● An additional $22.6 million from the state will allow all eligible children to benefit. Towson University economists found that this additional funding will “greatly benefit” the economy while reducing food insecurity, creating additional jobs, and increasing tax revenues.
SNAP Minimum Monthly Benefit
●While SNAP significantly reduces food insecurity and poverty, the monthly SNAP benefit provided by the federal government is too low for many recipients. While the average SNAP benefit is $128 per person, per month, the minimum benefit is just $20 per month.
● Marylanders over age 62 benefit from a state-funded SNAP supplement to raise their benefit level up to a minimum of $30 per month and 31,454 people received this supplement in 2020. In 2022, Governor Hogan increased state funding so that seniors will soon receive at least $45 a month in assistance.
● Unfortunately, more than 55,000 people in Maryland still receive an inadequate level of assistance for food (less than $30 per month) because they are under age 62.
● Less than $6.6 million in additional state funding would allow all residents, including those under age 62, to receive at least $1 a day for food.
Maryland Meals for Achievement
● Maryland Meals for Achievement allows students in 590 schools to start their day well-nourished and ready to learn with universal free school breakfast in the classroom.
● An additional $4 million fully funds the program so that all eligible schools can participate. This additional funding would benefit more than 185,500 students in about 300 schools.
● Expanding access to this school breakfast program is particularly important in secondary schools given the alarming food insecurity survey results from the Maryland Department of Health. This survey found that about 30% of all high school students are food insecure and that students of color are at a significantly higher risk.
$33.2 million in additional state funds will fully implement these programs to support over 590,500 Marylanders, including 350,000
children, 55,000 people with very low-incomes, and 185,500 students.
For additional information, please contact Tam Lynne Kelley at email@example.com.