Open Table MDI Relaunches Grocery Grant Program and Maine Community Foundation Announces $250K grant and mobilization of Donor Network to Address SNAP Food Shortages impacting 170,000 Mainers
BAR HARBOR—On Friday, October 31, Judge John J. McConnell, of the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island, ordered that the Trump Administration continue to pay for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, despite the federal shutdown, which has lasted for a month.
Food stamps and SNAP benefits help approximately 42 million people in the country and 170,000 in Maine. The benefits were set to end November 1.
President Trump responded on Friday, on social media, asking how the federal government could legally find the money for the program.
“It is already delayed enough due to the Democrats keeping the government closed through the monthly payment date,” President Trump wrote, “and, even if we get immediate guidance, it will unfortunately be delayed while states get the money out.”
Also on Friday, a Massachusetts federal judge ordered the administration to state by November 3, if it would be providing full or partial SNAP benefits in November.
Judge McConnell ordered the administration to use emergency contingency funds to keep the program going.
An October 24 memo from the USDA stated it couldn’t used SNAP contingency funds to cover benefits that people regularly receive. This came after an October 10 announcement that the benefits would not be distributed in November because of the government shutdown, which is now in its thirty-second day.
On Friday, Maine Governor Janet Mills released her own statement about the court’s decision. Maine was one of the parties in one of the SNAP cases.
“I welcome and applaud these decisions by the courts and thank Attorney General Aaron Frey for his efforts on behalf of our state. As has been clear, the USDA can and should distribute contingency funds authorized by Congress to avoid the disastrous harm that stopping SNAP benefits would create for Maine families, children, and seniors. Withholding this contingency funding was a wrong and callous decision by the USDA to begin with. I strongly urge the President and USDA to comply with these rulings and immediately release SNAP emergency funds to ensure thousands of Maine people—and millions more across the country—don’t go hungry in November.”
Governor Mills earlier announced the state will bring $1.25 million to Good Shepherd Food Bank and Maine’s Area Agencies on Aging. This is in partnership with the John T. Gorman Foundation.
Governor Mills and twenty other governors also decried the ending of benefits in a letter to President Trump, earlier this week.
It’s currently unknown when November assistance might arrive for the one in eight Americans who receive help from the program to pay for groceries.
LOCAL EFFORTS
More local efforts have been announced to help those with food insecurity.
Open Table MDI has relaunched its program to get grocery grants into the hands of families, individuals, and couples who might be impacted by the upcoming loss of SNAP benefits.
“In light of the recent loss of SNAP benefits for many families and the financial hardships caused by the ongoing government shutdown, Open Table MDI has relaunched our ‘Neighbors Feeding Neighbors’ Program to help support those most affected,” the organization wrote on its website. “Through this program, we are offering weekly grants of $500 (for families) or $250 (for individuals or couples) in the form of grocery store gift cards to Mount Desert Island, the Outer Islands, and Trenton residents experiencing reduced income or financial stress during this difficult time.”
The Maine Community Foundation announced in a press release Friday that it has received a $250,000 donation and will mobilize its large network of private donors to address the immediate, emergency need for food facing 170,000 Mainers as federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funds lapse as of Saturday, Nov. 1.
“No one in Maine wants to see a neighbor—never mind 170,000 Mainers—going without food or going to bed hungry,” said MaineCF President and CEO Deborah Ellwood. “While the only sustainable solution is through public policy, Maine Community Foundation is making a $250,000 grant to Good Shepherd Food Bank to help keep Maine people from going hungry during this time. We also commit to uplift and spotlight this urgent need with our donors and fundholders.”
MaineCF’s community impact team partnered with Good Shepherd Food Bank to identify how its grant would have a maximum impact.
“Our $250,000 grant to the Mainers Feeding Mainers program at the Good Shepherd Food Bank will provide one month worth of nutritious, local food from 90 Maine farms as well as meals for 15,000 families of four,” said Laura Lee, vice president of community impact at MaineCF. “The Mainers Feeding Mainers initiative puts $2.7 million per year into Maine farms and this $250,000 grant will support families and communities in all parts of the state.”
MaineCF also announced an effort to spotlight the best ways to support organizations addressing food insecurity to its large network of donors.
“Maine Community Foundation was able to make these grants today because MaineCF donors and fundholders have supported the foundation’s Invest in Maine Fund, which addresses critical and emerging needs,” said MaineCF Vice President of Donor Engagement, Becka Yturregui. “We encourage all of our donors and partners to support Good Shepherd Food Bank, give to their local food bank or reach out to us to partner on the most effective ways to help keep our neighbors from going hungry.”
On the island, the First Baptist Church in Bar Harbor will offer Sunday Soup for multiple Sundays in November. All are welcome to the free dinner.
The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Acadia Brochures of Maine.
LINKS TO LEARN MORE
OPEN TABLE MDI’s Neighbors Feeding Neighbors program.
Maine Community Foundation is using all of its platforms and relationships to encourage people to call or reach out to Good Shepherd Food Bank by phone 207-782-3554, donate online or support their local food pantry by using the food bank’s online map.
Details for the Bar Harbor Food Pantry are here.
Details for Island Connections, which needs drivers to help people get to the grocery store and doctors’ appointments are here.
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