By Genine Hopkins
After receiving a notification from the U.S. Department of Agriculture last week pausing SNAP benefits for the month of November, Michigan’s State House has put forward a bill, sponsored by Democrats Tonya Meyers Phillips of Detroit, Kimberly Edwards of Eastpointe, Betsy Coffia of Traverse City, Reggie Miller of Van Buren Township, and Denise Mentzer of Mount Clemens, to use lapsed project funding to provide funding for Michigan’s November SNAP payments as well as funding to the Food Bank Council of Michigan which helps to keep food banks stocked and pantry programs open around the state.
Roughly 1.4 million Michiganders receive SNAP benefits, including about half of those as disabled adults and just under half families with children, or roughly 13% of the Michigan population.
As of October 29th, and as it stands pending passage of the Michigan House Bill by both the Michigan Senate and the Michigan House, November payments will not be funded by the Federal dollars the system uses to provide benefits for recipients. It should be noted that illegal immigrants cannot apply for or receive SNAP benefits, even those here under DACA (often referred to as “dreamers,”) cannot receive SNAP. DACA refers to kids raised here in the U.S. after their parents entered the country illegally.
The cessation of benefits through federal funding from the USDA does not disqualify states from funding benefits, although states that do so will not be reimbursed by USDA once the program resumes. The funding through the Michigan House Bill will also only be extended for November.
Additionally, Michigan is one of 25 states that are suing to restore SNAP funding through contingency funds that were used during the last funding shutdown in 2019, under the first term of President Trump. Contingency funding, provided through Bill HR 4366 in 2024, has this language:
”For necessary expenses to carry out the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), $122,382,521,000, of which $3,000,000,000, to remain available through September 30, 2026, shall be placed in reserve for use only in such amounts and at such times as may become necessary to carry out program operations: Provided, That funds provided herein shall be expended in accordance with section 16 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008…”
Said bill, signed into law on March 9, 2024, provides the USDA hold $3,000,000,000 set aside in contingency to ensure payments to SNAP from the USDA continue to be made through September 30, 2026, allowing the 2024 appropriations of 2024 to be used through that later date. This is the language at the heart of the lawsuit the states filed. On Air Force One, President Trump said he would solve the SNAP funding issue, which would only require his having USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins distribute the contingency funds. Additionally, Republican Senator Josh Hawley, from Missouri, sponsored a bill that was introduced a week ago, the “Keep SNAP Funded Act,” that would provide funding for SNAP in the period where the legislature hadn’t yet approved new appropriations (FY 2026) and to provide retroactive payments if any payments were missed. Unfortunately, while that bill will most likely pass the U.S. Senate, with the U.S. House on hiatus for the past three weeks, it is unlikely to be passed and signed by the President prior to having any real effect on November SNAP payments from the USDA. It should be noted Secretary Rollins can release the contingency funding on her own and it is unclear why those funds are not being utilized.
If neither the President, Secretary Rollins, or the U.S. Congress acts and the current bill in Michigan fails as well, Thanksgiving 2025 will hit the Mid Michigan area hard. All major food pantries serving Clare County residents have been seeing a large increase in the number of families requesting food assistance and this is compounded by the lack of pay or layoffs for federal workers AND federal contractors, who are also affected by the shutdown.
Marion Food Pantry founder Ardithea Cutler, who founded the pantry with others from the community and with funding from the Marion VFW, said they have already seen the number of families double in the month of October. Cutler also said there is less she can get from the food bank – Feeding America – due to funding cuts in the “Big Beautiful Bill” passed on July 4, 2025.
“I honestly don’t know how many more we will see if November SNAP is paused, but I expect at least double or more than in October,” Cutler said.
Several residents of Harrison expressed deep concern, saying they would have to choose between rent and food in November.
One family, who preferred anonymity, said their household’s income is already stretched with hours being cut from one income due to the coming winter.
“Luckily our mortgage payment is not too high,” said the father, “But I don’t think we can afford to buy a turkey and fixin’s this year, we might have spaghetti instead since that is cheaper.”
A single mom, who also requested we not share her name, said between the loss of November’s SNAP and the temporary closing of the Compassion Counts food pantry in Hayes Township, she’s not sure she can buy enough food.
“At least my kids eat well at school,” she shared, “But by the time we would normally get our SNAP benefits, we will be down to the case of Ramen noodles and a few canned vegetables. I won’t be able to afford milk for sure, unless I can get a second job between now and then, but not many people are hiring here.”
One couple shared how they weathered the potential for not having WIC especially since their cost for health insurance will nearly double if Congress doesn’t renew the government subsidies for their health insurance premiums. They don’t receive SNAP but are concerned about their neighbors who do count of the program.
Hopefully politicians in D.C. stop playing chicken with their constituents’ ability to feed their families – of whom nearly 14% of all Americans receive at least some SNAP benefits while renewing the vital health insurance subsidies so families can keep their coverage. It will be a wait and see.
