The federal government shutdown has prompted the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to announce a pause in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for November, following guidance from the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service.
The change will affect nearly 30,000 residents in Ottawa and Allegan counties who rely on the program, according to Holland-based nonprofit Community Action House CEO Scott Rumpsa.
“That is a really, really big deal,” Rumpsa said. “We’re in a season of uncertainty for so many and supports like SNAP and Medicaid that a lot of neighbors have relied on for a long time. … There’s a lot of fear.”
Holland nonprofit prepares for surge in need as Michigan pauses November SNAP benefits
SNAP is the largest food assistance program in the country, administered at the federal level by the USDA but operated locally by states, which determine eligibility and issue monthly benefits via Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards. In 2024, the average SNAP household in Michigan received $335 a month…