Food Assistance Benefits Going Up

food-safe-6
food-safe-6

Michiganders who receive food assistance will see a permanent increase of about 6.8% in their monthly benefits beginning in October. Michigan Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson Bob Wheaton tells WSJM News this comes as a result of a decision at the federal level.

“Typically, at the beginning of the fiscal year the government will increase the amount of food assistance benefits based on the cost of living,” Wheaton said. “However, the government did a study looking at the current amount of benefits and comparing it to increases in the cost of healthy food over the years, and determined that it hasn’t kept pace with that. So, they further increased it this year.”

Wheaton says this comes as a COVID-related food assistance increase of 15% expires. The dollar amounts food benefit payments will rise vary from $16 for an individual to $53 for a family of four. The maximum monthly benefit for a household of four increases from $782 to $835. Wheaton says recipients of food benefits don’t have to do anything to receive the increase. It will be included in their monthly payment.