Written by Tanya Terry,
Featured photo Sommer Foster, executive director of Michigan Voices, photo courtesy of Ms. Foster
The federal government let the State of Michigan know that SNAP food benefits are ending or being paused and that the State should cease dispensing funding starting on November 1. A large percentage of people who have depended on SNAP food benefit have been Black individuals and other people of color, families with children, disabled individuals and senior citizens.
Sommer Foster, executive director of Michigan Voices, talk to the Courier about the impact this happening suddenly, rather than gradually, will have.
“This is hit families in Michigan very hard,” she said. “It’s not something that they were able to plan for. It will have a huge impact on families, the elderly, parents and children and the disabled population across our state.”
Michigan Voices has been working to let people know that resources are available to access food, such as food banks.
“They can reach out to their communities to see if there are food pantries nearby,” said Foster. “There are helplines in different regions of the state that people can call to make sure that folks are getting food. The number one thing is educating people where there are resources necessary and letting them know that this is a political problem, and there is a political solution.
“We need to make sure that people we elect to represent us know that people eating should not be a political issue.”
SNAP, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, provides monthly electronic benefits to eligible low-income households to buy food. Formerly known as food stamps, the program is federally funded and distributed by states through an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card, which functions like a debit card to purchase groceries.
The SNAP program is also considered an economic stimulus program.
“For every dollar that is spent in SNAP benefits, $1.80 comes back to the community. So, not only does that mean that folks are able to eat. It also means that you are investing in the local economy. So, you’re investing in stores. You’re investing with those farmers, and you’re making sure that food on the table. When people get SNAP benefits, they spend it immediately. It’s a stimulus for the economy.
“So, once you see SNAP benefits go away, that’s going to impact. That is really critical for our communities.”
59% of SNAP recipients in Michigan are families with children, according to a January 2025 fact sheet by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP).
“Eating well is foundational to being able to do well in school. That’s one of the reasons that the governor signed the legislation, making sure that school children get breakfast and lunch in school. But, we know they also need to eat dinner. They need to eat on the weekends. We know that they need to eat during school breaks, and we know the holidays are coming up.”
More than 39% of SNAP participants in Michigan are in families with members who are older adults or are disabled based on data provided by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) and cited by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS).
Foster pointed out that older people often have issues with transportation. This could cause difficulty with them trying to get to a food pantry.
“We already have an economy that is not doing so well. People are having a hard time with the cost of living, the cost of housing – and this will be one more thing that folks will have to deal with. It is really unfortunate that it has come to this.”
Foster said because SNAP benefits are ending at a time that the cost of housing, food, gas and many other things seem to be increasing, people should look for coupons and sales.
“Taking food assistance away from the hands of low-income families, it’s going to have a detrimental effect not on those families, but on our economy, in general. When that happens, prices continue to increase.”
“I think this is a moment where neighbors have to look out for each other and let their neighbors know if something is on sale, or something is a bit cheaper. If folks have the means to be able to donate money to food pantries, I think that would be extremely helpful for the community in this moment.”
Foster said voting is just one piece of the puzzle in what she called a “political problem.”
“The best thing to do in this moment is to let leaders know how this issue is affecting your families, people in your families with disabilities and the elderly- and how it’s affecting our children to not have food on the table.”
“SNAP is a proven intervention for fighting poverty and hunger, and cuts and delays to people getting their benefits are going to threaten many families across the state. It’s something I think is preventable and something our leaders can do something about.”
Area residents can message elected officials by email, phone or mail. Elected officials’ contact information can be looked up on the U.S. Senate and/or U.S. House of Representatives websites.
Kristen McDonald Rivet represents Michigan’s 8th District – including Genesee, Saginaw, Bay, and Midland counties– in the U.S. Congress. Information on contacting her can be found using the following link: https://mcdonaldrivet.house.gov/contact
U.S. Senator Gary Peters can be contacted using the following information: https://www.peters.senate.gov/contact
Information on contacting Senator Elissa Slotkin can be found here: slotkin.senate.gov/contact/
