In response to the ongoing government shutdown that is compounding the crisis for people across the region, United Way of Central Maryland is mobilizing once again to provide immediate and long-term support through the launch of the United For Good: Community Relief Fund. Rising costs and uncertainty around support services, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), are deepening the strain on those living on the edge: federal employees without paychecks, families already struggling to afford basic needs, and nonprofits overwhelmed by growing demand. Concerned Central Marylanders can contribute to the United For Good: Community Relief Fund here.

The Community Relief Fund will deliver accelerated assistance to people facing emergencies, support nonprofits burdened by increased demand and reduced funding, and expand United Way’s 211 Helpline capacity to meet the surge in calls for help.

The effort is jumpstarted by the fund’s first contribution from Freeman and Jackie Hrabowski, longtime champions of education, equity, and opportunity in Maryland. Their leadership gift exemplifies the collective action United Way has inspired for more than a century and sets the tone for others to join in supporting neighbors in crisis.

“We’ve always trusted United Way’s drive and tenacity to tackle this region’s most immediate challenges,” said Dr. Freeman A. Hrabowski, III, president emeritus of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. “We’re calling on others to join us to provide the help that’s needed right now.”

The central Maryland region has been hit particularly hard by the government shutdown, and now SNAP recipients are expected to only receive 50 percent of their regular benefits for food. Thirty-four percent of Maryland’s federal employees live in Central Maryland; 39 percent of households in the state can’t make ends meet (2025 ALICE report); and more than 692,000 Marylanders rely on SNAP benefits.

“The results are devastating: people left with limited or no income, vulnerable families cut off from the support they rely on to survive, and more individuals forced to make impossible choices that push them into crises,” said Franklyn Baker, president and CEO of United Way of Central Maryland. “We excel at mobilizing the caring power of our community and now we need that collective strength more than ever. This is when we all need to join with our nonprofit partners and community leaders to mobilize and deliver relief to those who need it most. This fund ensures that no one faces this shutdown – or any emergency – alone.”

For more than 100 years, United Way of Central Maryland has been a trusted source of hope and help – providing what’s needed, where it’s needed, when it’s needed.

Immediate help with basic needs and other services can be found by on the 211 Maryland at United Way of Central Maryland resource database at uwcm.org/your211, and its Resource Guide to Basic Needs in Central Maryland (uwcm.org/resourceguide) provides information on local support.

United Way also leads rental assistance and food distribution programs throughout Central Maryland,including Howard County’s Rental Assistance Program for Seniors and a soon-to-be-announced rental assistance initiative for Baltimore City residents.

Programs that help ensure individual, family, and generational stability and success include:   

• Family Centers provide free and reduced cost high-quality childcare and supportive resources and services so that student parents can graduate and working parents can keep or pursue jobs.
• Young Men United (YMU) connects young men of color with mentors, financial resources, and wraparound services for them and their families to support high school graduation and college and career preparation.
• The Family Stability Program provides rental, housing, and case management assistance to help families stay in their homes.

In partnership with the Maryland Department of Emergency Management, United Way is also connecting volunteers and organizations in need through its online volunteer platform to ease the burden on nonprofits during the government shutdown. Local nonprofits can post projects or in-kind needs at uwcm.org/nonprofitmd, and residents can sign up to lend a hand at uwcm.org/volunteermd.

“United is not just our name – it’s how we show up for one another,” Baker added. “We are united for good, for the next 100 years, and for every neighbor who needs a helping hand right now. Whether it was the pandemic, economic downturns, or natural disasters, we’re here to quickly mobilize and deliver relief to those who need it most.”

To contribute to the United for Good: Community Relief Fund, click here.