BALTIMORE — Snap not being fully federally funded could spell trouble for families and for the neighborhood markets that count on their business.
WATCH: Neighborhood market affected by SNAP uncertain future
Yukta Malla with the Old Town Market in Baltimore told WMAR 2 News that many of the store's customers are SNAP recipients.
"Most of our customers from this society they are elderly people, so 60 percent of the customers they use their SNAP for their groceries and all other shopping on the daily basis," Malla said.
She said around dinner time, the store is usually packed.
But with the federal government only partially funding SNAP, the market's door isn't swinging open as much as it used to.
"Most of the time, it's slower than before because the rate has decreased. Before, our business was doing really great, but it's not fully degraded, but it's a little bit slower than before."
She told us the uncertainty around SNAP has led some recipients to stock up on as much food as possible from the store.
The Trump administration reinstated SNAP benefits after they were expected to end on November 1st.
But it will only be about half the amount people would normally get.
Officials say payments for people in some states could be delayed for weeks or months.
However, Governor Wes Moore announced the state will release 62 million dollars to make sure Marylanders' SNAP benefits are fully funded through November.
Yukta said that regulars in the store have expressed their worries.
"They told me that it's really affecting them because they really rely on the EBT, and now it's not being used or stopped by the government."
One customer, Kevin, told us that while he's not a SNAP recipient, he feels for his community.
"These black people where I'm from, they need their EBT. That's how they feed their kids for real," he said, "We're in the middle of the projects with no market, corner stores that sell out everything in one day."
There's no information on what exactly will happen with SNAP benefits for Marylanders after November if the government shutdown continues into December.
