WHY HAS MY MI FOOD ASSISTANCE E-N-D-E-D!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 09-05-23!!!

There are a few reasons why your Michigan Food Assistance (MI FA) benefits might have ended on September 5, 2023. Here are a few possibilities:

Your income may have exceeded the eligibility limits for MI FA.
You may have lost or gained certain household members, such as a child turning 18 or a spouse moving out.
You may have failed to meet certain work requirements.
You may have not reported a change in your income or household size to the Michigan Department of Human Services (MDHS).
If you are not sure why your MI FA benefits ended, you can contact MDHS to inquire. You can also check your MI FA benefits online or by calling the MDHS customer service line.

There are several other possible reasons why this may have happened. Some of them are:

You did not meet the work rules for the Food Assistance Program (FAP). These rules require you to not quit your job or reduce your hours without good cause, and to not refuse a job offer or employment-related activities. If you violate these rules, you may face penalties or lose your eligibility for FAP.

You are an adult without children or a disability, and you reached the time limit for receiving FAP. The federal government limits the amount of time that you can get FAP to three months in a 36-month period, unless you meet certain work or education requirements. This rule applies to adults between the ages of 18 and 49 who do not have a disability or live with children or a pregnant woman1.

You no longer qualify for the extra food assistance benefits that were available during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act provided additional payments to eligible FAP recipients from 2020 to February 2023. However, a new law signed by President Biden ended these emergency allotments after February 2023. This means that your benefit amount may have decreased or stopped altogether in March 2023.

If you think that your food assistance was ended by mistake, you have the right to appeal the decision and request a hearing. You can do this by contacting your local MDHHS office or filling out a Request for Hearing form online at MI Bridges. You can also find more information about the eligibility requirements, application process, and payment methods for FAP at the MDHHS website.

Here are some resources that can help you if your MI FA benefits have ended:

The MDHS website has a section on food assistance that includes information on eligibility, benefits, and how to apply.
The Michigan Food Bank Association has a website with a list of food banks and pantries in Michigan.
The USDA Food and Nutrition Service has a website with information on food assistance programs nationwide.