Michigan's summer food assistance program will continue this year.
The end of the school year also means the end of free and reduced-cost breakfast and lunch for kids, so the SUN Bucks program gives families an extra $40 a month per kid for June, July, and August.
Kids who are already receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, Medicaid, or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) cash assistance will qualify automatically, and families will receive the money on EBT cards. You can find more details about how to qualify or apply online here.
But the future of food benefits is uncertain, with Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives proposing stricter work requirements for SNAP, and shifting more of the cost onto the states, which could mean states have to cut some benefits.
About 13% of Michigan households received SNAP in 2024, according to the Food Research and Action Center.
The state health department recently released an extensive report about how Michigan might be impacted by various proposals to cut federal Medicaid spending, and the state is now working on a similar analysis of potential food benefit cuts, said spokesperson Erin Stover.
“The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services believes families should have access to the resources and supports they need to live healthy lives,” Stover said in an email Tuesday.
“Federal cuts to critical services like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ... will devastate Michigan families, cutting off access to vital health care services and making it more difficult to put food on the table. Cuts in food assistance will force families to choose between buying groceries or paying their bills which will also negatively impact local economies while worsening health outcomes for children and families across the state," Stover said.
