* WARNING: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL, INTRODUCTORY COPY OF THE BILL.
THE OFFICIAL COPY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FIRST READER COPY.
INTRODUCTORY*
CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL R
(Resolution)
Introduced by: Councilmember Welch
A RESOLUTION ENTITLED
A COUNCIL RESOLUTION concerning
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Informational Hearing - Food Stamps for Seniors
FOR the purpose of inviting senior citizen advocates, and representatives from the state and local agencies involved in providing food benefits to seniors, to appear before the City Council to discuss how food stamps, known as the Food Supplement Program in Maryland, can help feed the hungry in our elderly population, and how this program could better serve seniors in the future.
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Recitals
Senior citizens surviving on Social Security benefits are typically eligible for at least some modest support from the food stamp program. For most seniors in this situation food stamps, also known as SNAP or FSP in Maryland, worth about $17 per month are available. Even this limited support can be of significant benefit for those on a fixed and restricted income.
However, many seniors struggling to make ends meet in the face of rising medical and other costs could use far more assistance to ensure that they never have to choose between putting food on the table or taking the medications they need to get through the day. Some of these seniors may in fact be eligible for enhanced benefits they are not aware of due to their unreimbursed medical or utility expenses. Others certainly deserve more aid from the society that they helped to build and have contributed to for so many decades. And far too many who are eligible for some support are unaware of it or do not take advantage of it.
Seniors and senior advocates could benefit from a more nuanced understanding of who is in fact eligible for this kind of assistance, and how they can maximize the benefits to be received. They also deserve an opportunity to discuss how more benefits can be made available to seniors in need of assistance to avoid going hungry.
Gathering seniors and their advocates together with representatives from the agencies tasked with assisting them before the City Council for a discussion of the present state and future promise of food stamp benefits for seniors could be very helpful in helping to ensure that seniors can get the most out of this program and service providers are aware of the unique needs of this segment of the population that they serve.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE, That the Council invites senior citizen advocates, and representatives from the state and local agencies involved in providing food benefits to seniors, to appear before it to discuss how food stamps, known as the Food Supplement Program in Maryland, can help feed the hungry in our elderly population, and how this program could better serve seniors in the future.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the Mayor, the Health Commissioner, the Secretary of the Maryland Department of Human Resources, and the Mayor�s Legislative Liaison to the City Council.
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ccres/Senior Stamp/tw