For those who use a Bridge Card to supplement their food budget, additional funds will be added to the cards to help pay for the rising cost of food.
Beneficiaries will receive at least an additional $95 this month. Nearly 1.4 million Michigan residents in over 700,000 households use the Supplemental Nutrition Program, which is delivered through Bridge Cards.
Additional food assistance has been added to regular monthly Bridge Card payments. No action is needed to get the benefits, and the additional payment should have been added to the Bridge Card balance by July 25th.
Federal approval is needed every month for Michigan to access the Families First Coronavirus Response Act funds, and it was granted again for July.
According to the consumer price index, grocery costs have risen about 12% over the last year. This is the largest jump in grocery costs in 43 years.
Some products have jumped up in price beyond the 12% average. For example, eggs have jumped in price by around 32%. Non-food items like laundry detergent and paper products, which are not eligible for Bridge Card purchase, have also increased in price recently.
Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland
