Michigan households that receive federal food assistance will start seeing half of their benefits this weekend amid the federal government shutdown.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced on Wednesday, Nov. 5, that households will start receiving partial payments on Saturday, Nov. 8. This is in response to the federal government reducing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, to about 50% of recipients’ payments for November during the shutdown.
Food assistance benefits are typically loaded onto Bridge cards on staggered dates. Households that get their benefits on the third, fifth or seventh of the month are expected to get partial SNAP dollars on Saturday, according to an MDHHS news release. All other recipients will get their reduced benefits based on their normal schedule.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) − in response to a court order directing the federal government to decide if it would use contingency funds for benefits − said earlier this week that it would provide partial payments but acknowledged that the process could take a few weeks to several months.
Funding for the November benefits comes from roughly $5 billion in contingency funds for the month. The federal government had previously directed the state to pause SNAP benefits for November because of the shutdown − leaving some 1.4 million Michiganders in limbo.
“We understand and share the disappointment many households feel about receiving only a portion of their November SNAP benefits. These benefits are a vital lifeline for many Michigan families, especially with the rising cost of food. In addition to SNAP benefits, we encourage those in need to visit local food pantries as needed, which can be found by calling 2-1-1,” said MDHHS Director Elizabeth Hertel in a news release.
The state health and human services department will provide updates on any changes to benefits pending court proceedings and fast-moving developments. New applications for food assistance are being processed from October and November, though it’s unclear whether applicants will get this month’s benefits, according to MDHHS.
How to get help
- The city of Detroit launched an interactive map of food pantries. To view the city’s food pantry finder, go to www.detroitmi.gov and click “Food Locations” to view the interactive map, searchable by distance and council district. The map includes locations and days and hours of operation. To help out, click “Volunteer @ Pantries” and fill out the form to sign up for four-hour shifts.
- MSU Extension, a SNAP outreach agency, has a community food assistance website, featuring ways to get help, recipes and ways to stretch a food budget. To learn more, go to www.canr.msu.edu/nutrition/community-food-assistance
- To find area food pantries and other resources, go to www.fbcmich.org/food-bank-network; www.pantrynet.org; www.forgottenharvest.org/find-food, or call the Michigan 211 line. Call locations ahead to confirm availability, hours and location.
- The Fair Food Network’s Double Up Food Bucks program, which matches purchases of fruits and vegetables using food assistance benefits up to $20 a day, has lifted the cap and it is now unlimited through the end of the year. Shoppers can also get $40 in Double Up Bonus Bucks, an additional offering, for fresh and frozen produce. For more information, go to doubleupfoodbucks.org. Call the program’s hotline at 866-586-2796 or text 734-213-3999 (9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday). Find a participating location at DoubleUpFoodBucks.org/find-a-location.
Are you experiencing effects from the government shutdown? Email votervoices@freepress.com to tell the Free Press about it.
Reach reporter Nushrat Rahman at nrahman@freepress.com.