State to replace up to one month of lost SNAP benefits

Residents in Michigan who receive food assistance benefits may be eligible to receive replacement food for SNAP benefits lost in power outages caused by storms and tornadoes that swept through parts of the state earlier this month.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) says residents who receive SNAP benefits can call 844-464-3447 to request replacement food up to a maximum of one month’s worth of benefits. The deadline to request replacement benefits is today, Tuesday, May 28.

“Michigan residents who receive benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) should not go without food for their families as a result of the power outages from last week’s storm,” MDHHS Director Elizabeth Hertel said in a statement. “We stand ready to help them by replacing food they purchased with SNAP benefits.”

The MDHHS said replacement food is only available to those already receiving food assistance benefits, and the amount of food that can be replaced is based on the amount of food that was lost by the household.

Counties that were included in the state of emergency declaration that was issued by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer include Branch, Cass, Kalamazoo, and St. Joseph.