When SNAP Benefits Lapsed, Maryland Residents Answered The Call

CHESAPEAKE BEACH, Md. — Southern Maryland is known for its natural beauty, maritime history and strong sense of community. For many, that meant stepping up to volunteer time, money or goods when essential programs like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding ran out during the government shutdown.

Charity Navigator reported a 600% increase in food drive donations in the last week of October. People also volunteered in record numbers. This was true in our Southern Maryland counties as well — online groups shared stories, shared links to food drives and made recommendations for how to get help.

Chesapeake Beach Town Council member Jonathan Evans said in an email to The BayNet that he wasn’t surprised to see the community jumping in across the Twin Beaches (North Beach and Chesapeake Beach) to help others — he’s seen his neighbors dive into so many causes over the years and knows that when people are in need, the community opens its arms.

“The desire of our neighbors to spring to action knowing there were people in need was inspiring, and reminded me why I love where I live,” Evans said. He also cited the many residents with strong faith in the community, which he believes helps guide their principles to love and support each other.

Fellow Council Member Anthony Greene, who has an extensive background in community health and outreach, added that this is a unique moment. The current state of the economy may have also helped raise awareness and changed people’s perspective around issues like hunger during the shutdown. Calvert County, he said, has many resources to help those in need, but “feeling the squeeze” yourself can heighten your sense of what people go through and encourage you to do what you can.

“Money is tight for most even without the holiday season approaching,” Greene wrote to The BayNet via email. “No matter where you fall on a political spectrum, knowing that your community is suffering hardships should elicit action to help those in need. No one should go hungry. No family should have parents who are uncertain if they are going to be able to feed their children. The issue may be more important right now because more and more people are feeling a squeeze that they are simply not used to. You never know when you, yourself, will need the same help that others may presently need. People are definitely taking notice and being more perceptive and outspoken from the uncertainty.”

Greene and Evans cited the continued efforts of local charities like Our Ladies of Charity Calvert County and End Hunger/Community Harvest Network, which work throughout the year to meet food insecurity challenges residents face. Chesapeake Beach recently teamed up with those charities and Rod ‘N’ Reel for a food drive, an experience Greene called “nothing short of inspiring,” and specifically praised Buccaneers Football Club for their volunteer efforts.

Evans volunteered with his family at the event and said there’s a “snowball effect” — where people see people in need asking for and getting help, which inspires them to help, which in turn makes them feel good and spreads the word for more awareness. The result is that in the future, people know where they can get help without judgment. He said he was impressed by how the food drive recipients stayed in good spirits despite the circumstances, and he expects help will be there as long as they need it.

But despite the feel-good effect of bringing people together, Greene cautioned that this should also be a time of reflection on why hunger persists so consistently for families all over the country and what long-term solutions might look like.

“It (volunteering) is indeed a beautiful atmosphere that we could use more of. But, in terms of meeting the needs, a bag of food is a short-term solution to a much bigger problem. We made sure that our community could be fed for a decent amount of days, but where do we start to accomplish the goal of not having any citizens in this predicament again?” Greene wrote.

Greene also said he was optimistic about all the young people he saw volunteering and eager to be part of the solution — and it’s up to us to show them how they can be a positive force in the world.

The weeks leading up to Thanksgiving and Christmas bring in higher levels of donations for food drives and other charities, and groups work to provide holiday meals for those who otherwise may not be able to afford them. This push during the shutdown was slightly outside the typical holiday food drive schedule. And as such, the response to it can serve as a moment of hope — and a lesson.

“There are people who are convinced that the world does not care about them,” Greene said. “They feel that they do not matter to their elected officials. Or that the ones who ‘have’ only carry disdain and contempt for those who ‘have not.’ It is important for them to know that those feelings are not universally true and that there is a community along with a bevy of resources available to help get through a hard time.”

Of course, the opposite is true, too. There will always be some people who do look down on others for needing help or having less. But the response of Southern Marylanders, who raided their pantries or headed down to their local church when they realized people were struggling, shows what’s possible in communities like ours — where everyone is a neighbor, and everyone deserves a hand.

Calvert County Department of Community Resources, St. Mary’s County Community Programs & Outreach Division, and the Charles County Department of Community Services all have resources and volunteer information available.

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