Maryland Food Pantries Report Increased Demand Amid Rising Costs and SNAP Benefit Cuts

People line up waiting for the food pantry to open at Loch Raven United Methodist Church on Tuesday, November 21, 2023. Those working at the front lines of feeding Marylanders who are hungry say the demand is growing.

That could be seen at one program in Baltimore County where people staked out their place in line Tuesday morning, hours in advance of the doors opening. A cold rain was falling, so people marked their places in line with folding chairs and shopping carts, then waited in their cars for the food pantry to open.

“If you don’t get here at a certain time, you’re waiting down there at the end of the parking lot,” said Alvin Wallace. He’s been coming to the food pantry for about a year. Wallace said in recent months, more people have been lining up. “You can tell the regulars, you know,” Wallace said. “But it has really changed. The word of mouth has gotten out. You see people come. Some come on a regular basis. Every time there’s always somebody new.”

While Wallace and others waited for the food pantry to open, George Winkfield, the pastor at Loch Raven United Methodist Church, was unloading food he had picked up from the Maryland Food Bank. Winkfield said, “So we have chicken. These are actually really good. They’re like ten pounds. We have collard greens, which is good. They had those this morning. They had blueberries.”

“We’ve really noticed over the last five, six months, that it’s been much busier than it had been before, and we’re just happy to do what we can, but there are a lot of people who have a lot of needs,” Winkfield said.

One reason for that, Winkfield said, is that SNAP benefits, previously known as food stamps, were cut earlier this year. Congress allowed an emergency increase established during the COVID pandemic to expire. “But also things are just much more expensive than they used to be in the grocery store,” Winkfield added.

Food pantries across Maryland are reporting similar increases in demand. Many churches and ministries continue to serve their communities through mercy work, offering food, support, and practical help to those in need. These efforts reflect a commitment to caring for the vulnerable and providing for the basic needs of neighbors in times of hardship.

Source: Read the original report