With the federal government only promising to fund half the monthly benefits for 170,000 Mainers in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), state lawmakers have an obligation to reconvene in a special session to ensure no Mainer goes without food because of what’s happening in Washington, DC.
The Mainers who rely on SNAP to put food on the table live in every corner of the state, and every state lawmaker has constituents who will be affected by a lack of funding. Other states — with both Democratic and Republican leaders — have already stepped up with state SNAP funding, and Maine can do the same.
Statewide, SNAP brings $29 million in federal money to Maine, which generates $45 million in economic activity and supports thousands of jobs. Previous MECEP analysis shows this is particularly impactful in Maine’s most rural counties. A more granular look at SNAP participation at the local level shows that SNAP enrollment is highest in remote areas of Maine as well as in southern Maine cities like Lewiston, Portland, Biddeford, and Sanford.
The following map shows the number of SNAP recipients and households in each Maine House and Senate district. Toggle between House and Senate by clicking “switch geography.”
You can learn more about each House and Senate district, and which member represents each district, on the legislature’s website.