Michigan families eligible for food stamps, or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, will continue receiving additional benefits through October, the state announced Friday.
The additional benefits will impact about 350,000 families who have been receiving the increased monthly benefits since March in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible participants should expect to see the extra benefits on their Bridge Cards by Oct. 30, with payments beginning for some households on Oct. 18.
The additional benefits will be loaded onto Bridge Cards as a separate payment from assistance provided earlier in the month. Those who already are eligible for the program will see an increase in monthly benefits if they are not already receiving the maximum SNAP benefits.
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“No Michiganders should worry about how to put food on the table for themselves and their family, especially during a pandemic,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said a news release. “COVID-19 is still a very real threat to our public health and Michiganders’ economic well-being. That’s why it’s so important that we continue providing this vital assistance to low-income families who need help putting food on the table.”
In Michigan, nearly 1.5 million people receive SNAP benefits. The additional benefits — which began in March and were set to end in Sept— will bring all current SNAP participants to a maximum monthly allowance.
Eligible families do not need to reapply to receive the additional help. Recipients can check their benefits by going to www.michigan.gov/MIBridges or reaching out to a consumer service representative toll-free at 888-678-8914.
Spanish and Arabic service is available. Michiganders who are deaf, blind, hard of hearing or speech-impaired, can call the Michigan Relay Center at 7-1-1.
The benefits are determined by the number of individuals in a household:
- One person: $194
- Two people: $355
- Three people: $509
- Four people: $646
- Five people: $768
- Six people: $921
- Seven people: $1,018
- Eight people: $1,164
The federal government is providing additional funding to states for food assistance under House Resolution 6201, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service approved the extension.
Contact Nushrat: [email protected]; 313-348-7558. Follow her on Twitter: @NushratR. Sign up for Bridge Detroit’s newsletter. Become a Free Press subscriber.
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