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Montgomery County moves to fill SNAP gap amid shutdown with $7.75M aid package

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Published  October 28, 2025 4:34pm EDT
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FOX 5 DC
Montgomery County eyes $7.75M emergency aid package as SNAP benefits set to expire

Montgomery County eyes $7.75M emergency aid package as SNAP benefits set to expire

Montgomery County announced a $7.75 million emergency aid package to support food banks and nonprofits as SNAP benefits are about to be suspended during the shutdown.

The Brief

    • Montgomery County announced a $7.75 million emergency aid package to support food banks and nonprofits as SNAP benefits are about to be suspended during the shutdown.
    • The county is looking to use reserve funds to meet rising food insecurity, with nonprofits like Manna Food Center seeing record demand.
    • State attorneys general are suing the USDA over the SNAP halt, while Sen. Mark Warner is pushing legislation to keep benefits running using existing federal reserves.

WASHINGTON - Montgomery County announced Friday a massive aid plan to help food assistance programs as the government shutdown is set to affect SNAP benefits. 

What we know:

On Friday, November 1, SNAP food benefits across the nation will be suspended due to the government shutdown.

A new $7.75 million emergency aid package in Montgomery County aims to help workers, families, and nonprofits.

The county will dip into reserve funds to help food banks and other nonprofits stay afloat while the shutdown continues — and as the need in our area increases.

Council President Kate Stewart says the county government is trying to meet the growing needs.

"We will be introducing a $7.75 million public service support package for Montgomery County residents and our nonprofit partners impacted by the ongoing government shutdown," said Stewart. 

Nonprofits like the Manna Food Center are seeing unprecedented demand for their food bank services — with many people being first-time recipients.

"We know that there is work to be done — and today we are actually being provided with the resources to do that work," said Manna Food Center CEO Craig Rice. 

Big picture view:

On Tuesday, 22 state attorneys general, including those from Maryland and D.C., sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture for suspending SNAP — which helps 42 million Americans buy food.

Regionally, about 14,000 people use SNAP in D.C., 125,000 in Maryland, and 140,000 in Virginia.

Virginia Senator Mark Warner tells Fox 5 he’s introducing new legislation that would force the USDA to use its own $6 billion reserve fund to keep SNAP benefits going.

"Now to have these benefits expire — 42 million Americans, hundreds of thousands of Virginians — particularly when we all know grocery prices have gone up double digits," said Warner. 

What's next:

Montgomery County Council is fast-tracking the food aid package — with a public hearing set for November 4th and a final vote on November 18th.

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