HALETHORPE, Md. — The Maryland Food Bank distributed 52 million tons of food last year, but it would need nearly ten times that amount to also cover the state’s 680,000 people who receive SNAP benefits including 270,000 children.
“SNAP provides nine meals for every one meal provided by the charitable food system,” said Meg Kimmel.
WATCH: Maryland Food Bank can't feed everyone
Kimmel is the president and ceo of the food bank, and in spite of its highly efficient food delivery system, she says there’s no way it can feed everyone.
“The Maryland Food Bank is not going to be able to fill the gap that’s being caused by the loss of SNAP benefits,” added Kimmel, “To meet even 15 percent of the need that this gap will create, we would have to quadruple our output nearly overnight.”
The feds have already made it clear that states will not be reimbursed for any monies they come up with to try to make up for the funding lost for SNAP recipients.
On Tuesday, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott announced he would give the Maryland Food Bank an additional $550,000 to expand food distribution in the city, but in the absence of any financial commitment from the state, it appears SNAP residents elsewhere, especially in rural areas, may be left without.
“Please call or write your elected officials,” advised Kimmel, “Let them know that SNAP needs to be back up and running and the government needs to be back up and running so that the programs that we all rely on as citizens are available to us.”
