The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has announced that those who receive food benefits will get a permanent increase in the monthly payment. The increase is a jump of about 6.8%. The increase is meant to make a healthy diet more affordable for beneficiaries.
A larger than normal benefit increase from federal funding saw some food benefits go up 15% over the past year, but those temporary benefits will expire this month. The permanent increase will start with the October loading of Bridge cards. The maximum benefit for a family of four will go from $782 to $835.
The federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP, is administered by MDHHS. Michigan recipients use Bridge cards to spend their benefits. This year, the program was increased greater than the cost-of-living rate because the benefits were not keeping up with the increases in the cost of a healthy diet.
No action is needed to be taken by recipients to get the increased amount. More than 1.25 million Michiganders get their nutrition at least in part from SNAP.
Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland
