LANSING, Mich. (WWJ) -- The Michigan Department of Health and Humans Services says it plans to issue Food Assistance Program benefits early for the month of February, as the partial federal government shutdown pushes toward a fourth week.
The state says it will begin issuing February benefits to food assistance clients on Saturday, Jan. 19. Clients who don’t receive their benefits on that date should receive the funds the following week.
This means the 1.2 million Michigan residents who receive food assistance will have benefits to feed their families in February even if the partial federal government shutdown continues.
The state is stressing that the early food assistance benefits are not additional benefits -- there will be no food assistance payments in February.
MDHHS says it is strongly encouraging families to budget the funds they receive in January so they can meet their food needs through the entire month of February.
“MDHHS is pleased that the department is able to work with its federal partners to make sure Michigan families have food on the table in February,” said Terrence Beurer, MDHHS deputy director of Field Operations Administration.
The USDA Food and Nutrition Service has directed states to issue February food assistance benefits early. In Michigan, food assistance benefits are usually issued to clients according to a numeric schedule over a 21-day period throughout the month. USDA officials identified this one-time early benefit distribution of food assistance as a chance to provide the benefits during the shutdown.
At this point, MDHHS believes that Women, Infants and Children (WIC) benefits will be available for states to issue in February without interruption.
January food assistance and WIC benefits are being distributed according to the normal schedule.
Learn more on the USDA Food and Nutrition Service website.