St. Mary’s County organizations warned residents Oct. 28, 2025, that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits may not load onto electronic benefit transfer cards Nov. 1 due to the federal government shutdown that began Oct. 1. The lapse could affect more than 11,000 county residents who use the program for groceries.
County officials, including the Department of Aging and Human Services and Healthy St. Mary’s Partnership, issued the alert to highlight potential food access disruptions for low-income households, seniors and families with children. October benefits remain available until depleted, but new issuances halt without congressional funding approval. The U.S. Department of Agriculture administers SNAP nationwide, providing monthly aid averaging $200 per person in Maryland to purchase eligible foods at stores like Food Lion and Giant.
This marks the second major shutdown in seven years to threaten SNAP continuity. In January 2019, a 35-day impasse delayed February payments for Maryland’s then-800,000 recipients until contingency funds activated. Current federal law requires the USDA to tap reserves for ongoing cases, but the Trump administration has withheld them, prompting a lawsuit by Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown and counterparts from 25 states and the District of Columbia filed Oct. 28. The suit argues the suspension violates the 2009 farm bill’s protections for 42 million national enrollees, including Maryland’s 680,000. Gov. Wes Moore called the move “cruel and unnecessary,” noting it endangers 270,000 Maryland children and 120,000 older adults.
In St. Mary’s County, SNAP serves about 10,993 individuals, or 9 percent of the 115,000 residents, with 72 percent of recipient households including at least one working adult. The program supports coastal communities from Leonardtown to Lexington Park, where tourism and naval base employment fluctuate seasonally. Food insecurity rates here hovered at 11 percent in 2022, above the state average, exacerbated by rising grocery costs up 25 percent since 2020. Shutdown delays compound vulnerabilities in rural areas with limited public transit to pantries.
To bridge gaps, the county urges donations of nonperishables, funds or volunteer time to bolster supplies. St. Mary’s County Libraries act as central drop-off sites, with branches in Leonardtown, Lexington Park and Charlotte Hall accepting items through November for redistribution via Feed St. Mary’s. Feed St. Mary’s, a nonprofit coordinating 15 pantries, reports demand surged 20 percent last year and seeks canned proteins, produce and hygiene items. Direct contributions go to outlets like Bread of Life Food Pantry in Valley Lee, open Mondays from noon to 2 p.m., or Three Oaks in Lexington Park, serving Tuesdays and Thursdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. A countywide pantry list, organized by town, details 12 sites including Catholic Charities in Avenue and First Saints Community Church in Charlotte Hall.
Maryland Access Point connects older adults and those with disabilities to services through a coordinator reachable at 301-475-4200, extension 1057. A resource guide outlines meal delivery and caregiver support. St. Mary’s County Public Schools maintain free and reduced-price lunches for 4,500 eligible students daily, unaffected by federal delays, with applications open year-round via school counselors.
The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office bolsters efforts with Community Oriented Policing Unit food drives Nov. 6 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Food Lion on Merchants Lane in Leonardtown and Giant on First Colony Way in California. Officers collect shelf-stable goods to restock pantries, echoing past drives that gathered 2,000 pounds during 2024 holidays.
Amid uncertainties, the sheriff’s office flags rising SNAP scams, where fraudsters impersonate officials to steal electronic benefit transfer details. Maryland reported 1,200 such incidents in 2024, costing $500,000. Safeguards include verifying calls through mydhrbenefits.dhr.state.md.us and never sharing personal identification numbers unsolicited. Report suspicions to 1-800-332-6347 or local police.
SNAP, formerly food stamps, originated in 1939 as a Depression-era aid and expanded under the 1964 Food Stamp Act to combat hunger. In Maryland, the Department of Human Services processes applications within 30 days, with expedited reviews for urgent cases.
St. Mary’s initiatives reflect broader Southern Maryland resilience, where nonprofits like the Southern Maryland Food Bank in Waldorf distribute 1 million pounds annually across counties. As negotiations stall in Washington, local leaders monitor USDA updates, urging pantry visits before stocks thin
You can sign up via the QR code on the flyer and you can also use this link: mailchi.mp/healthystmarys/kgjeef6724
to sign up. Texts are available in English and Spanish
