He says it will address the economic impacts of the federal government shutdown.
Annapolis, Md (KM) Maryland Governor Wes Moore has declared a state of emergency to address the economic impacts of the federal government shutdown. In a news release from his office, the Governor says he has issued an executive order providing $10 million dollars in emergency funding to Maryland’s food security partners to address the crisis of the Trump Administration’s failure to release SNAP benefits for November. SNAP is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program which provides food benefits to low income Americans to supplement their grocery budgets so they can provide nutritious food for their families. SNAP benefits will cease on November 1st. 2025..
“Withholding funding from food assistance is not just illegal. It’s also cruel. 680,000 Marylanders rely on SNAP to put food on the table–we’re talking about 120,000 older adults; 270,000 children; and 130,000 Marylanders with disabilities. The federal government is looking them in the eye and saying ‘You’re on your own,'”, says Moore, in a statement. “But in Maryland, we protect our people. It’s not the work of a single day or a single announcement. It’s an ongoing pledge–one that we refuse to abandon or abridge. We will keep taking this week after week, and work with our legislative partners to do the most we can with the resources we have. In Maryland, we take care of each other. It’s who we are. And together, we will weather this storm and leave no one behind.”
The Governor says in past shutdowns, the State has received reimbursement from the federal government for covering costs during on the shutdown. . But he says the Trump Administration has provided no such assurance. The federal government shutdown began on October 1st. 2025
The $10 million in emergency grant funding will be used to promote food assistance across the state, the Governor’s Office statement continues. The Maryland Department of Human Services is reviewing organizations to receive funding based on data-driven disbursement to ensure equitable distribution.
The funding will be used to purchase and distribute additional food for food banks, local pantries, school pantries and mobile distribution programs, including delivery of food to older adults or Marylanders with disabilities who do not have access to pantries.
Officials also says the actions taken by Governor Moore to address food insecurity is also in response to Marylanders facing hunger due to the federal employees impacted by the shutdown. Thousands of federal workers have been furloughed from their jobs, and are not receiving a paycheck.
The Governor says the State of Maryland continues to call on the Trump Administration to obey the law, and release the contingency funding for SNAP. He’s also asking Republicans in Congress to work to end the federal government shutdown.
By Kevin McManus