Thank You For Helping Build A Healthier Michigan

We are pleased to share that SB 35, legislation that will remove the asset test as a component of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) application in Michigan, has passed the state legislature!

Thank you to the advocates who urged lawmakers to support removing this barrier so people in need can have better access to food for their families.  

Healthy eating is one of the foundations of a heart-healthy lifestyle. More than 1 in 10 families in the US rely on SNAP benefits each month. Further, more than half of all SNAP benefits go to households with gross incomes less than or equal to half of the federal poverty line.

In 2016, more than six million households had very low food security, meaning at least one person in the household did not have enough to eat. SNAP helps households improve food security, reducing the number of people who skip meals because they don’t have the money or resources to buy enough food.

Research shows that low-income adults participating in SNAP have lower overall health care expenditures and Medicaid/Medicare costs compared to non-participants. By encouraging and promoting healthier eating habits for all Michigan residents, we can help mitigate one of the root causes of chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and diabetes.

Through the elimination of the asset test, Michigan is helping promote long-term savings and economic independence. This removes barriers that prevent households struggling with food insecurity gain much-needed access to food, helps the newly jobless more readily apply for SNAP benefits during a critical time, eases verification demands and case-processing burdens for the state agency and households alike, and brings greater federal funding into the state. 

Thank you to everyone that helped with this effort.  We are helping build a healthier Michigan where families no longer must choose between saving for family needs and putting food on the table.