Gov. Wes Moore Declares State of Emergency to Protect SNAP Aid

Maryland Governor Wes Moore has declared a state of emergency to keep food assistance flowing as federal funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is set to expire this weekend.

“In response to the President’s illegal refusal to deploy emergency federal funding to keep food assistance running, I am declaring a State of Emergency in the State of Maryland,” Moore announced Thursday on X.

The governor said the move will allow Maryland to access federal emergency resources and provide $10 million in immediate support to food banks and partner organizations across the state. “We will surge $10 million to food banks and food bank partners across the state,” Moore added.

The declaration comes amid growing concern nationwide as SNAP funding nears exhaustion. The Trump administration has warned that the program, which provides vital grocery assistance to more than 42 million Americans, will soon run out of funds unless Congress or the White House acts.

At issue is the federal government’s decision not to tap into more than $5 billion in contingency reserves that could temporarily sustain SNAP into November. State leaders and advocates argue that withholding the funds during an active government shutdown would put millions of families, seniors, and children at risk of hunger.

Governor Moore’s emergency order positions Maryland as one of the first states to take independent action to protect vulnerable residents as federal negotiations stall.

“Food is not a privilege, it’s a basic human right,” Moore said in a follow-up statement. “We will not allow political games in Washington to take meals away from Maryland families.”

The Maryland Department of Human Services is coordinating with local food banks to ensure continued access to meals during the emergency period.

Gov. Wes Moore Declares State Of Emergency As SNAP Funding Nears Cutoff In Maryland was originally published on wolbbaltimore.com