Michigan Budget Director Tours Kalamazoo Food Bank as SNAP Cuts and Federal Changes Strain West Michigan Hunger Relief

State Budget Director Visits Loaves & Fishes as Federal Policy Shifts Put Pressure on Food Assistance Programs

KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Michigan State Budget Director Jen Flood toured the Loaves & Fishes food bank in Kalamazoo Wednesday alongside State Sen. Sean McCann, discussing how changes to federal assistance programs and the state budget are affecting West Michigan families.

Flood walked through the food bank warehouse and heard directly from staff about the challenges they face serving the community. The visit came as Michigan moves toward finalizing its $88.1 billion budget proposal for the fiscal year.

Federal Government Passing the Tab

Flood told reporters the federal government is passing the tab on to states for really important programs like SNAP and Medicaid. She wanted to see firsthand how food banks are handling the demand while state officials work through the budget process.

"The action that Congress took last year blew an enormous hole in our budget and it also puts access to food and health care at risk for millions of Michiganders," Flood said.

SNAP Access Challenges

Staff at Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes told Flood and McCann that the people they serve are having a harder time accessing SNAP benefits. They pointed to new regulations from the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed by President Trump.

"We know that families are facing rising costs, and so in the Governor's final budget, we have investments to help make sure that people maintain access to healthcare, maintain access to food," Flood said.

The governor's proposal includes more than $186 million in additional funds to administer SNAP, but also upwards of $780 million in Medicare funding.

State Revenue Declines

Beyond addressing federal pressures, the state faces a more than $1 billion decline in revenue this year. When asked if the State Budget Office was taking that into effect, Flood said it is.

"We built our budget based on those projections," Flood said. "We'll get an update in May, but the Governor's committed to leaving our state's finances in better shape than she inherited them, so we will watch closely what happens and make sure that our spending leaves us in a good place."

Broader Impact on West Michigan Food Banks

The challenges Flood saw at Loaves & Fishes reflect problems facing food banks across Michigan. Rising gas prices and federal funding cuts are creating a perfect storm for hunger relief organizations.

Metro Food Rescue, which serves Detroit and surrounding areas, reports spending about $7,000 a month more on diesel fuel than planned because diesel is now over $5 a gallon. That extra fuel cost is equivalent to about 28,000 meals.

"The Trump Administration cut $500 million about a quarter of the 2024 funding from the Emergency Food Assistance Program," according to a ProPublica report.

Feeding America West Michigan Food Bank CEO Ken Estelle said about 30 percent of the food they distribute comes through federal programs, primarily the Emergency Food Assistance Program.

"In one calendar year, we saw a deficit of 9 million pounds of donated food," said Gleaners Community Food Bank Senior Director Kristin Sokul. That deficit came from the USDA, which reduced their donated food by about 5 million pounds year over year.

Budget Process Ahead

Flood noted that the governor's proposal is just one piece of the budget process. Both chambers of the legislature will each put forth their own vision.

Republicans control the state House and are already wary of new taxes sought by Governor Whitmer and a $400 million draw from reserves, which they called non-starters.

"At the end of the day, we care about a lot of the same things," Flood said.

The budget debate will likely focus on how to address the structural deficit the state faces as the shortfall is projected to grow to nearly $4 billion by July 2030 if no action is taken.

What This Means for West Michigan Residents

The budget decisions made in Lansing will directly affect families across West Michigan from Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo to Muskegon. SNAP benefits help millions of Michiganders put food on the table each month.

As the legislature debates the final budget, food banks like Loaves & Fishes will continue to be on the front lines, bridging the gap when families cannot access benefits and when federal funding programs face uncertainty.

The governor has committed to maintaining access to food and healthcare, but the budget process moves forward with both chambers working to solve the deficit challenge while protecting essential services for West Michigan communities.