More than eight in 10 Marylanders said increases in the cost of food are outpacing their income, according to a poll released Tuesday.
The poll conducted for No Kid Hungry found that 96% of those surveyed said child hunger should not exist in the state. More than eight in 10 want elected officials to do more to end child hunger. Ninety-three percent said ending childhood hunger in Maryland should be a shared, bipartisan goal for lawmakers.
“This poll paints a stark picture of how Maryland families are suffering. No one should have to choose between purchasing food and paying your rent, but that’s an all-too-familiar choice our neighbors find themselves having to make,” Ayesha Holmes, No Kid Hungry Maryland director said in a statement. “With impending cuts to SNAP and Medicaid on the way, Maryland families will continue to face a future impacted by hunger and undue worry.”
The poll found that 65% of those surveyed said they had to choose between buying food or paying for gas or a car repair, rent or mortgage, or medical treatment. Within that survey, 71% of families said they had to make that choice, according to the poll. Nearly six in ten people said their mental health has suffered in the last 12 months due to the cost of food, according to the poll.
More than six in 10 said they worry about their ability to buy groceries if they were to be hit with an unexpected expense of $500.
The online survey conducted for No Kid Hungry sampled 1,054 Maryland residents between July 22-29. The margin of error is 4%.
The poll followed the passage of federal legislation that makes permanent tax cuts made in 2017. The cuts are offset, in part, by cuts to Medicaid and SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Advocates say passage of the bill could deal “a devastating blow” to the 680,000 state residents who currently receive SNAP benefits.
Currently, the state and federal government split administrative costs for SNAP 50/50, while the federal government pays for 100% of the benefit.
That changes next year. States will pay 75% of the administrative fees. The cost to Maryland will approach an estimated $173 million. In 2027, Maryland will pick up 15% of the cost of the benefit on top of administrative costs -— about $240 million.
Nearly 370,000 Maryland residents could lose part or all of their benefits, according to a recent report by the Urban Institute.
The poll found that nearly six in 10 people had a favorable view of the SNAP program. More than 80% said Maryland should continue a summer program to ensure children have access to food when schools are closed.
by Bryan P. Sears, Maryland Matters
September 2, 2025
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