BALTIMORE — With SNAP benefits decreasing for more than half a million families across the state, local efforts to fight hunger are ramping up just in time for the cuts.
Every street in Baltimore has its own story.
North Chester Street is no different, welcoming new characters every Tuesday like George Branch first in line.
"What this young lady is doing now is a big help, a God send," said Branch.
The God send from the nonprofit, The Door in East Baltimore comes amid very trying times.
"With the cutting of the food stamps, this is a good thing," Branch shared.
A free food box is one good thing to embrace as families across Maryland prepare for a major decrease in their SNAP benefits.
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During the pandemic, families received the maximum amount for their household size.
Next week, that boost goes away and those hard decisions between buying healthy foods and paying bills begin again.
"You can't solve all problems but the problems that you can assist with, and you can make it easier on someone's day to day. That's what I enjoy doing," said The Door's CEO Tehma Smith Wilson.
Just like clockwork, also in East Baltimore, the men at the Mack Lewis Boxing Gym pray and get to work on their purpose to help those feeling the pinch like Mary Jones.
"I went to the market last week and I couldn't believe the price of an onion, $1.19 for one onion. A cabbage was $3," Jones said.
"This is lifesaving. The stuff in here I cannot afford to go to the market and buy," Jones shared.
While tossing boxes into cars, they find that feeding others feeds them.
"They come through looking for something and I thank God that we have something to give them and now they can go home and prepare a nice meal," said Gregory Wilkes, the President of the Mack Lewis Foundation.
Their goal behind the drive is to make the hard times just a little bit easier.
"It's been rough so this is a God send and if they would stop doing it, I don't know what the people around here would do," Jones shared.
For information about the Door click here.
To learn more about The Mack Lewis Foundation, click here.
