Chapter 20. Maryland Emergency Food Program

“Administering agency” means an agency or local government approved by the Department to administer the Program in a jurisdiction.

“Department” means the Department of Human Services.

“Emergency food provider” means a nonprofit or local government-run organization, including a soup kitchen or food pantry, which provides food to needy individuals at no charge.

“Jurisdiction” means either Baltimore City or one of the 23 counties in Maryland.

“Local government” means a municipal corporation in Maryland subject to the provisions of Article XI-E of the Constitution, the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, one of the 23 counties in Maryland, or a housing authority authorized under Article 44A, Annotated Code of Maryland.

“Needy” means an individual or family determined to be in need according to the standards set by the State Advisory Council on Hunger.

“Program” means the Maryland Emergency Food Program.

“Units of service” means the number of:

Number of individuals and families living in poverty;

Unemployment rate;

Number of individuals and families receiving food stamps; and

As available, number of individuals and families requesting food assistance.

Selected print media, electronic media, or both print and electronic media;

Local departments of social services and the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services or other administrative entity under which the Department of Social Services operates;

Statewide food provider;

Hunger advocacy organizations;

Local food provider agencies; and

Local governments; and

Notify emergency food providers of the availability of Program grants;

Complete a site visit to each applicant who is new to the Maryland Emergency Food Program prior to approval of an application;

Make a site visit to each approved food provider at least once a year to ensure that the food provider is using the allocation to purchase food for needy individuals and families;

Approve emergency food providers as recipients of Program grants; and

Allocate Program grants among approved emergency food providers.

Adopt a formula and qualifications for allocating Program funds to the jurisdictions based on funding availability and jurisdiction-wide statistics for the:

Notify each local jurisdiction through the administering agency of the availability of Program funds based upon §B(1) of this regulation; and

Approve the application before an administering agency may receive a Program grant.

Assume responsibility for providing emergency food providers with information on the Program, including Program guidelines and fund availability;

Accept and process requests for funding assistance from the emergency food providers;

Allocate the funding to the emergency food providers based on the procedures approved in the application submitted to the Department; and

In collaboration with the Department, distribute information to the emergency food providers on:

Use the grant to purchase food to be distributed to needy individuals;

Purchase under the Program food produced, grown, and harvested in the State when feasible and cost effective;

Provide to needy individuals and families information from the Department that encourages self-sufficiency consistent with the Family Investment Program under COMAR 07.03.03; and

Distribute information on Maryland's earned income tax credit.

The Department shall provide to the administering agencies the forms necessary to carry out the Program.

The administering agencies shall provide Program service forms to the emergency food providers.

An emergency food provider shall submit a report annually, and other reports as required, to the Department and the administering agency detailing:

An administering agency shall submit a report annually, and other reports as required, to the Department detailing for each jurisdiction for which the administering agency is responsible:

The Department shall submit annually to the State Advisory Council on Hunger a report detailing:

Emergency food providers with grant awards exceeding $6,000 shall be subject to a site visit at least once a year; and

Emergency food providers with grant awards of $6,000 or less shall be subject to a site visit at least once every 3 years.

Allocations to approved food providers; and

Monitoring of food providers.