8 GROUNDCOVER NEWS SHUTDOWN Food stamps will not be distributed in November — Michigan legislators might cover the cost LINDSAY CALKA Publisher The federal government has been shut down since October 1. Annually, Congress must pass legislation that decides the funding for government programs, services and departments. If the Democrat and Republican legislators and the President cannot negotiate and agree upon the budget, the result is a stalemate and consequential “shutdown:” federal workers do not get their paychecks, nonessential government work doesn’t happen and major delays occur in administrative services. Social Security and Medicare checks will still go out, but funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — called SNAP, food stamps, EBT or Bridge Card — is impacted by the federal freeze. On Oct. 23 the U.S. Department of Agriculture ordered the State Departments of Health and Human Services to pause payments in November. As long as the government is shut down, the payments will be too. 42 million Americans will be at risk of losing these food benefits. Nearly 13% of Michigan households, approximately 1.4 million people, receive SNAP benefits. 43% are families with children; 492,225 children benefit from SNAP; 38,513 veterans participate in SNAP; 36% SNAP households have older adults; 51% of households have a person with a disability; 78% of SNAP households include someone with earned income. Earlier this year, the Trump administration's Big Beautiful Bill slashed the SNAP budget by $265 billion (over ten years), increased work requirements and barred immigrants and refugees from receiving assistance. The federal government’s delay of SNAP benefits will place Michiganders at further risk of food insecurity and poverty. SNAP, a critical program for families and individuals across Michigan to access food, is the nation’s largest food assistance program and one of the most effective tools to reduce food insecurity. Michigan House of Representative Democrats, led by Rep. Tonya Myers Phillips, put forward a package of bills on Thursday, October 30 that would put $900 million of state emergency funds into keeping SNAP benefits running throughout the month. Colin Jackson from Michigan Public Radio predicted, “The bills could have an uphill journey in the Republican-led state House of Representatives.” State Attorneys General including Michigan's Dana Nessel are suing the Trump Administration, legislators are putting out formal messages in opposition and community members are organizing to prepare for this attack on food access. In the next edition we will follow up on this story and report on the creative ways Washtenaw County is responding. We invite readers to contribute by emailing submissions@groundcovernews. com OCTOBER 31, 2025
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