SNAP Benefits Pause: Southwest Michigan Food Banks Prepare
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will be paused for approximately 1.4 million Michiganders in November due to the federal government shutdown.
Southwest Michigan food banks are preparing for an increase in demand. Jennifer Johnson, Executive Director of Loaves and Fishes in Kalamazoo, stated that the food bank has been stocking up and planning for more customers.
"We have the ability to add additional shifts and we have the ability to add another night if we need to. So, we can push it, we can add capacity where needed,"
However, Johnson expressed uncertainty about the organization's ability to sustain this increased capacity long-term, citing the 2018 government shutdown as a historical reference point.
"We only have a historical reference in the past of 35 days. That was the longest the government shutdown has existed, that was from 2018,"
Author's summary: Food banks prepare for increased demand.