State Partnerships

Partnership To End Childhood Hunger in Maryland

The Partnership to End Childhood Hunger in Maryland is working hard to meet Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley's goal of being the first state to end childhood hunger.

Today sixteen percent more Maryland children are receiving food stamp benefits. 24,000 more are getting school breakfast. Kids in twenty-five more Maryland daycare centers will receive healthy snacks.

Here's the partnership's progress against three of the goals it set at its formation in November 2008:

  • Goal 1: Increase participation in the School Breakfast Program by 9% or about 65,000 more students per year. Schools in the program receive reimbursement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for each meal they serve. In return, they serve breakfasts that meet federal requirements, and they must offer free or reduced-price breakfasts to eligible children.

    Progress: 24,154 more children are participating in school breakfast programs. Final measurements are due after the close of the school year.
  • Goal 2: Enroll 15% more households with children 18 and under in SNAP (food stamp program). This program helps low-income households buy the food they need for good health. There are several eligibility requirements including resource and income limits.

    Progress: Number of families with children 18 and younger enrolled in SNAP has increased by 17%. That means 16% more kids 18 and younger and 14,455 more families are now receiving food stamp benefits.
  • Goal 3: Enroll 25% more licensed child care facilities in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), which provides funding for meals and snacks served in daycare and after-school programs. The meals and snacks must meet specific nutrition requirements.

    Progress: An additional 25 facilities (4.4%) have enrolled so far. Final measurements are due after September 30, 2009.

More About the Partnership

Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley and Share Our Strength Founder Billy Shore announced the Partnership to End Childhood Hunger in Maryland on November 24, 2008. The partnership is the fourth state partnership, in Share Our Strength's national strategy to end childhood hunger in America.

To underscore his commitment to this effort, Gov. O'Malley named the Governor's Office for Children as the lead state agency in the partnership. Share Our Strength and the Governor's Office for Children are leading a strong coalition, which includes:

  • Maryland Departments of Education, Human Resources, and Health and Mental Hygiene
  • U.S. Department of Agriculture
  • Maryland Food Bank
  • Advocates for Children and Youth
  • Maryland Hunger Solutions/Food Research and Action Center
  • Seedco

What the Partnership Plans to Do

The Maryland partnership, like our partnerships in the District of Columbia, Florida and Washington, aims to close the gaps between existing public and private programs and the families who need them.

The Partnership has laid out a Year-One Plan, which focuses on increasing participation in four effective nutrition programs: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, or food stamps), School Breakfast Program, Summer Food Service Program, and Child and Adult Care Food Program. These programs will bring additional federal funding into the state, help stimulate local economies, and ultimately ensure that no child in Maryland grows up hungry.

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