- At least 1.4 million Michigan residents on food assistance, thousands of new moms at risk of losing federal assistance in November
- Lapse in funding caused by ongoing federal shutdown, which started Oct. 1 and continues amid partisan gridlock in Congress
- Michigan health officials: “SNAP is more than a food assistance program, it’s a lifeline”
Food assistance for more than a million Michigan residents will “temporarily pause” starting in November if the ongoing federal government shutdown continues, state health officials confirmed Thursday.
The US Department of Agriculture, which runs the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), instructed the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services that November payments for Michigan’s 1.4 million recipients of federal food assistance should be paused “until further notice.”
Elizabeth Hertel, the state’s health director, warned in a statement that even temporary loss of food assistance benefits will put vulnerable Michigan residents at risk of food insecurity.
State estimates indicate that roughly 13% of Michigan households, many of whom are older adults or parents with young children, receive SNAP benefits and will be impacted by the delay.
“SNAP is more than a food assistance program; it’s a lifeline for many Michigan families,” Hertel said Thursday. “We are strongly disappointed by the USDA’s decision to delay this assistance, and in Michigan we will do what we can to help blunt this impact.”
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In addition to SNAP, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) will be affected by the federal shutdown, which began Oct. 1 and has persisted amid deep partisan divides in Congress.
WIC offers food assistance, infant formula and nutrition education to pregnant people and children up to five years of age. The state says one out of every two babies born in Michigan receives WIC benefits.
President Donald Trump’s administration recently diverted $300 million in tariff revenue to temporarily keep WIC running. The National WIC Association recently asked for another $300 million to fund the program through mid-November, warning recipients could lose benefits as soon as Nov. 1 without additional funding.
“WIC is a lifeline that ensures access to nutritious foods, breastfeeding support and vital health services,” MDHHS spokesperson Lynn Sutfin said in an email.
About 186,000 Michiganders receive WIC benefits, according to recent USDA figures.
“While Michigan WIC currently remains open for business and 47 clinics across the state continue to support Michigan families, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has indicated WIC funding will continue through the beginning of November.”
If funding for WIC and SNAP does not continue beyond then, Michigan food pantries and other nonprofits don’t have the resources to fill in the gaps and support increased demand, US Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Caledonia, told constituents during a virtual town hall this week.
“It’s clear that this is unsustainable, and so we need to have the government back open again to support these important things,” Moolenaar said. “I want to see this government open, and I want to make sure that people receive their paychecks and the assistance they need.”
During the early days of the government shutdown, Michigan’s federal food assistance programs were “buffered” by state funding, according to Jennifer Garner, an assistant professor of nutrition sciences and registered dietitian with the University of Michigan.
Because the shutdown coincided with the start of the fiscal year, the timing has been “brutal” as many departments have yet to receive their funding to keep programs operating.
“When these federal investments lag, there is more onus than ever on states and state agencies to figure out how to fund these while waiting for normalcy to return and those investments to be re-engaged,” Garner said.
The uncertainty of the moment and the tenor of the national conversation, Garner said, can create a lot of fear.
“Already we know that folks are often apprehensive to use resources like SNAP and WIC due to stigma, due to shame, due to the bureaucracy involved,” she said. “I think we’ll see that bear out in our rates of individuals who are accessing the program and using it consistently in the months to come.”
During periods of funding lapses and eligibility changes, public food assistance programs become more reliant on the nonprofit sector, Garner said.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced this week it was working with the charity Forgotten Harvest to host mobile “pop-up” food pantries at the agency’s offices in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties.
For additional information or food assistance resources:
- Dial 2-1-1 or visit Find Help – Michigan 2-1-1 for free, confidential assistance and referrals to local food programs and support services.
- Visit the Food Bank Council of Michigan to locate nearby food banks and learn about additional hunger relief efforts.
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