(WWJ) Governor Gretchen Whitmer has announced several actions to provide support for Michigan families, and restaurants hit hard by the pandemic.
This includes another liquor buyback program for restaurants and bars similar to the one administered earlier this year, as well as partnerships with Michigan restaurants to allow Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for prepared meals.
The administration said this will also put another $2 million toward the Eviction Diversion Program to ensure Michigan families can stay in their homes this winter.
“As we head into another Michigan winter, I’ll continue to do everything I can to support our families and small businesses,” Governor Whitmer said in a press release. “These actions will ensure that families have the support they need to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads this winter, as well as provide support to local restaurants and small business owners all over the state that are struggling as a result of the pandemic.”
She also urged Michiganders to keep up mitigation efforts including masking, social distancing, thorough handwashing and avoiding gatherings, especially indoors—saying “We will get through this together.”
“This year has presented our state with so many unique challenges, and, every time, we have risen to the occasion to deliver innovative solutions,” Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist said in the release. “We don’t have to make the false choice between protecting people’s health and safety or supporting our economy during the coronavirus pandemic. Today’s actions prove that we can and must do both, which will only make our state that much stronger as we safely step into a more normal life going forward.”
Here is what’s included in the Governor’s program:
Governor Whitmer’s Restaurant Meal Program will give eligible food assistance recipients the opportunity to use their benefits to purchase restaurant meals. This includes:
-people over 60
-people with a disability (including those receiving a Social Security income or other disability programs benefits)
-people who are homeless
MDHHS is opening the program for restaurants to enroll with the aim of providing diverse and affordable options for eligible participants across the state. Restaurants interested in partnering with MDHHS in this program are asked to visit the MDHHS website, where they can learn more about program requirements and how to enroll.
The spirits buyback program bought back nearly $3.5 million in spirits from more than 670 on-premises liquor licenses, providing an average $5,000 in financial relief for bar and restaurant owners during the pandemic, according to the release.
The Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) Eviction Diversion Program (EDP) is designed to keep Michigan residents who fell behind on their rent during COVID-19 in their homes. So far, the program has helped an estimated 16,000 people stay in their homes, according to Whitmer’s office. The program was initiated and funded from Senate Bill 690, which set aside $880 million in federal dollars from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
The Senate bills called for $60 million to go toward establishing a rental assistance program. $50 million has been dedicated to keeping renters in their homes with the remaining $10 million covering case management, legal, and administrative costs. The Whitmer administration vowed to continue to assisting renters with this program and other complementary programs until additional federal eviction resources arrive through the federal stimulus that passed yesterday.
Whitmer's announcement comes one day after the Michigan Legislature passed a stimulus plan. The bill includes:
-$55 million to help small businesses impacted by COVID-19; in grants up to $20,000
-$3.5 million for live music and entertainment venues in grants of up to $40,000
-$45 million in direct payments to workers who have been laid off/furloughed because of the pandemic, with a focus on restaurants and hospitality workers
After Congress passed a federal relief bill Monday night, Whitmer urged them to continue working together to provide “crucial support for state and local governments.”
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