After a year of federal budget cuts, a federal government shutdown, and the October suspension of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, leaders of agencies that feed the hungry in Maryland said they face challenges ahead of Thanksgiving.

“This year has been nothing short of a roller coaster,” said Meg Kimmel, president and CEO of the Maryland Food Bank.

Kimmel said federal budget and job cuts early this year led to more people asking for help getting food. The government shutdown and suspension of SNAP benefits made it worse.

It caused the food bank to step up fundraising both from individuals and corporations.

“Honestly, nothing could have prepared us for what happened in November with the disruption of SNAP benefits, which, as a result of the government shutdown, that h

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