Under federal guidelines signed into law in July 2025, the first wave of Marylanders who cannot prove they are working at least 20 hours per week may begin losing food assistance this month. The law expands work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to include adults ages 54 to 64 and households with children ages 14 to 17. Previously exempt groups including veterans, people experiencing homelessness, and young adults aging out of foster care must now also meet work requirements. Refugees and people granted asylum – about 7,600 Marylanders – have already lost their access.
These rules represent a significant step backwards in our mission to build a food-secure Maryland.
On paper, encouraging employment may sound straightforward. But for many neighbors, work is not simply a matter of willingness. Reliable transportation, internet, and stable housing are real barriers. Limiting food assistance does not eliminate food insecurity – it just shifts the burden elsewhere.
At the Maryland Food Bank, we are deeply concerned about the impact of these changes. As with previous shifts to SNAP, we expect to see more families turning to our statewide network of more than 760 community-based partners. We are prepared to fill as much of the gap as we can, but one thing is certain: food banks cannot replace SNAP.
SNAP is our nation’s most effective tool for fighting hunger. Eroding access to this well-established program risks food banks becoming the single lifeline for food-insecure families, instead of one way to make ends meet.
We are thinking about how to meet growing demand in a world where food prices remain high and government benefits don’t stretch as far. That means planning further ahead to prepare for volatile swings, like last year’s government shutdown, and strengthening our network of partners so they can serve more neighbors, more often, with dignity.
Our goal has always gone beyond providing a meal. We are working toward stable, food-secure communities where people can thrive, and protecting SNAP is a critical piece of that puzzle.
Meg Kimmel
President & CEO, Maryland Food Bank
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