BLACK mobile logo

detroit

education

When the Safety Net Disappears: Detroit’s Response to the SNAP Pause 

October 31, 2025

Following the federal government's November 1st pause of SNAP benefits, approximately 430,000 Wayne County residents—predominantly single mothers and families living below the poverty line—face severe food insecurity. Local food banks like Forgotten Harvest have already exhausted most of their protein reserves purchased in anticipation of this crisis, while acknowledging they cannot replace the scope of federal assistance. Michigan Democratic legislators have introduced emergency bills totaling $900 million to temporarily maintain food support using state reserves, while organizations like Fair Food Network have expanded benefit-matching programs to help bridge the gap.

Who is affected

  • Approximately 430,000 people in Wayne County who depend on SNAP benefits
  • 1.4 million Michiganders statewide who rely on food assistance
  • Single mothers raising children independently
  • One in five Wayne County residents living below the poverty line
  • 16 million children, 8 million seniors, and 4 million people with disabilities nationally
  • Local grocers, corner markets, and family farmers who depend on SNAP purchases
  • More than 200 local partner organizations (churches, shelters, community centers) in Forgotten Harvest's network
  • Detroit families who depend on school breakfast and lunch programs
  • 1.4 million Michigan public school students
  • Forgotten Harvest organization and its staff
  • SHARE Detroit and grassroots nonprofits across Metro Detroit
  • Fair Food Network
  • Nearly 388,000 workers nationally whose jobs depend on SNAP

What action is being taken

  • Forgotten Harvest is delivering food weekly to churches, shelters, and community centers through its network of 200+ partners and allocating all resources to meet increasing demand
  • SHARE Detroit is maintaining an online directory of more than fifty food pantries and twenty volunteer opportunities across four counties
  • Fair Food Network is expanding its Double Up Food Bucks program by removing daily earning caps, adding frozen produce to eligible items, extending benefits through year-end, and providing $40 in additional credits through a temporary Double Up Bonus Bucks program beginning November 1
  • Michigan Democratic legislators (Representatives Myers Phillips, Coffia, and Edwards) are introducing a five-bill package including the "Securing Fresh Food Access" bill with $900 million in emergency supplements, plus additional funding for food banks, pantries, and meal programs
  • Governor Whitmer is coordinating state departments to create a food response plan, continuing Double Up Food Bucks, supporting Hunters Feeding Families, and ensuring 1.4 million public school students receive free breakfast and lunch
  • Michigan is participating in a multistate lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's suspension of benefits
  • Governor Whitmer is joining a coalition of governors urging the Trump administration to prevent SNAP disruption
  • Churches are opening their kitchens, neighbors are sharing food, and volunteers are delivering boxes to porches

Why it matters

  • SNAP represents a critical survival mechanism rather than a luxury for families in Wayne County, where systemic poverty affects one in five residents. The benefit pause occurs during a particularly vulnerable time—entering colder months and the holiday season—while food prices have risen 2.6 percent and Michigan's unemployment remains above the national average. Beyond immediate hunger concerns, the disruption creates cascading economic effects throughout local food systems, threatening small retailers, farmers, and the 388,000 jobs nationally supported by SNAP while generating over $4.5 billion annually in tax revenue. Families receiving SNAP assistance maintain better health outcomes, affording doctor visits and prescriptions while avoiding impossible choices between food, rent, and medical care. The pause exposes the fragility of food security infrastructure, as even well-prepared organizations like Forgotten Harvest—which purchased two million pounds of protein reserves—acknowledge they cannot replace federal programs' scope and scale, making the crisis unprecedented in its technical and humanitarian significance.

What's next

  • Fair Food Network's expanded Double Up Food Bucks program and $40 Double Up Bonus Bucks program begin November 1
  • Michigan Democratic legislators' five-bill package, including the $900 million "Securing Fresh Food Access" bill, awaits legislative action
  • Governor Whitmer's administration is continuing to implement the coordinated food response plan through state departments
  • The multistate lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's benefit suspension is proceeding
  • Food pantries and volunteer programs listed in SHARE Detroit's directory remain available for immediate community support

Read full article from source: Michigan Chronicle

When the Safety Net Disappears: Detroit’s Response to the SNAP Pause