SNAP - WKTV Journal

Michigan gained approval for additional food assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service. (Supplied)

By WKTV Staff

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announced last week that, as a response to the continued COVID-19 pandemic, approximately 350,000 Michigan families will continue to have access to additional food assistance benefits during August.

Michigan previously approved the additional food assistance through July and now that is being extended for the month of August with approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service, according to the MDHSS statement.

“COVID-19 and its impact on the economy of the nation and state has made it more difficult for many Michigan families to pay for nutritious food,” Lewis Roubal, chief deputy director of opportunity for MDHHS, said in supplied material. “The department wants to provide additional assistance to help them through this health care and economic emergency.”

Eligible clients will see additional food assistance benefits on their Bridge Card by Aug. 30, with payments beginning for some households on Thursday, Aug. 20. Additional benefits will be loaded onto Bridge Cards as a separate payment from the assistance provided earlier in the month.

Nearly 1.5 million people in Michigan receive federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits through the state’s Food Assistance Program, according torte statement. Households eligible for Food Assistance Program benefits will receive additional benefits in August to bring all current SNAP cases to the maximum monthly allowance for that group size.

This change only applies to customers not currently receiving the maximum benefit amount. The 350,000 households that receive increased benefits represent close to 50 percent of the more than 700,000 Michigan households that received food assistance in June. The remaining households already receive the maximum benefit.

Eligible families do not need to re-apply to receive the additional benefits. People who receive food assistance can check their benefits balance on their Michigan Bridge Card by going online to www.michigan.gov/MIBridges or talk to a consumer service representative toll-free at 888-678-8914. They can ask questions about the additional benefits by calling or emailing their caseworker.

Customer service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Spanish and Arabic service is available. If you are deaf, deaf/blind or hard of hearing or speech-impaired, call the Michigan Relay Center at 7-1-1.

By Jennifer Hoff

Metro Health – University of Michigan Health

One of the most vibrant farm markets in West Michigan returns to the campus of Metro Health – University of Michigan Health for its 14th season beginning Thursday, May 11.

The Metro Health Farm Market expects to welcome about 35 local vendors on opening day, adding another 20 or so as the weather warms. For the 2017 season, the farm market will be open every Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., rain or shine, May 11 through Oct. 12.

“A healthy community starts with a healthy diet,” says Mike Faas, chief executive officer of Metro Health – University of Michigan Health. “Metro Health isn’t here just to treat illness. We’re here to be a complete wellness resource. Providing access to affordable, healthy food is part of our responsibility to the community.”

The Metro Health Farm Market is located on the grounds of Metro Health Hospital, 5900 Byron Center Ave. SW in Wyoming, adjacent to the Village Green.

Though best known for fresh fruits and vegetables, it also offers baked goods, homemade foods, plants and hand-crafted items. Vendors come from throughout West Michigan.

“We aim for a mix of about three food vendors to every one crafter,” says Emil Hannesson, farm market manager. “Our priority is to support sustainable local farms selling their own produce.”

One such vendor is Austhof’s Farm in Grandville, which returns to the Metro Health Farm Market for its seventh season.

“The Metro market is the place to be in the summer,” says Tamryn Austhof of Austhof’s Farm. “We love it because it delivers such a strong sense of community and such a broad variety of vendors.”

The fare is so diverse that the market publishes a weekly recipe featuring produce from vendors. The Farm Market Recipe of the Week is distributed at the on-site information booth and available on the Metro Health website.

Daily attendance at the Metro Health Farm Market averages well over 1,000. Shoppers come from the surrounding Wyoming community, as well as throughout the greater Grand Rapids area.

“Many of our customers are low income, with few options for fresh, affordable produce,” Hannesson says. “The Farm Market supports community health by making it easier for these customers to choose nutritious food.”

About one-third of customers pay using government assistance. The Farm Market accepts SNAP Bridge Cards, WIC Project FRESH and Senior Project FRESH.

The Farm Market also participates in Double Up Food Bucks, a state assistance program that helps low-income people stretch their food dollars. When SNAP shoppers spend at the Farm Market, they’re eligible for matching funds to buy Michigan-grown fruits and vegetables—up to $20 each market day.

Beyond its role as a source of fresh, affordable produce, the Metro Health Farm Market also serves as a place for the community to come together. That’s especially true when market days coincide with the following special events planned for the Metro Health Village Green: