Michigan State Budget Director Visits Kalamazoo Food Bank Amid Federal SNAP Cuts and Governor's $88 Billion Budget Proposal

State Budget Director Tours Loaves & Fishes as Federal Funding Changes Challenge West Michigan Food Assistance Programs

KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Michigan's State Budget Director Jen Flood walked through the warehouse of Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes this week, talking to staff about what the federal government's new policies mean for food assistance across West Michigan.

Both officials heard directly from volunteers about what they're facing on the ground.

"We are seeing the federal government pass the tab to states on some really important programs like SNAP and Medicaid," Flood said. "We wanted to come here to see sort of the work on the front."

The staff at Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes told Flood and State Sen. Sean McCann that the people they serve are having a harder time accessing SNAP, pointing to new regulations from the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act that changed qualification rules.

"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 food," Flood said.

Governor's $88.1 Billion Budget Addresses Federal Pressures

The governor's proposal totals $88.1 billion. Included is more than $186 million in additional funds to administer SNAP, but also upwards of $780 million in Medicare funded programs.

"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.

On top of 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 better shape."

Rising Costs Hit Food Banks Across West Michigan

Ken Estelle is the President and CEO of Feeding America West Michigan Food Bank, which serves 40 counties and about 800 partners in the state. He said rising gas prices are affecting their budget because their distribution relies on transporting food in trucks throughout a service area of about 700 miles.

"Diesel fuel is currently a big challenge for us because it's over $5 a gallon, which is more than what we had planned on," Estelle said. "So basically we're right now spending about $7,000 a month more on diesel fuel than what we would have planned, which is equivalent to about 28,000 meals."

Federal funding cuts have also been an issue for food banks in Michigan and across the country. The Trump Administration cut $500 million -- about a quarter of the 2024 funding -- from the Emergency Food Assistance Program, according to a ProPublica report.

Estelle said about 30 percent of the food their Feeding America food bank distributes is through federal programs, primarily TEFAP. Under the Big Beautiful Bill, Americans are seeing the largest cut to funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in its history.

Estelle said more people are looking for food assistance after changes to SNAP qualification rules, which is a challenge to manage. He said moving forward, Feeding America West Michigan is looking at ways to build out food acquisition, encourage community support, and get the necessary funding to continue to operate.

Kristin Sokul is the Senior Director of Advancement Communications, Marketing, and Media/PR for Gleaners Community Food Bank, which serves about 300 different agencies, soup kitchens and pantries in Southeast Michigan.

"In one calendar year, we saw a deficit of 9 million pounds of donated food," she said. "And that came from the USDA, which had reduced their donated food to us by about 5 million pounds year over year, and then other food donating resources, private donors."

Sokul said their funding consists of a mix of direct donations, either through organizations or individuals, grants, and government sources. She added that Gleaners has been working to make up the deficit of donations through diversifying food sources, allocating more funds, purchasing more food themselves, and minimizing food waste.

"Through times of challenge, we have seen our community come together to support our neighbors for the hunger-free communities that we know are possible," Sokul said. "And this is an opportunity for our community to come together again."

State Sen. Sean McCann Joins Budget Director at Food Bank

State Sen. Sean McCann, a Democrat representing Kalamazoo County, joined Budget Director Flood at Loaves & Fishes to hear about how the new federal rules are playing out on the ground.

McCann represents the 25th Senate District, which includes portions of Kalamazoo, Allegan, and Van Buren counties.

The visit comes as Michigan's state government prepares to implement the governor's final budget proposal for the coming fiscal year.

The budget proposal addresses multiple areas where federal cuts are creating strain on state programs. The $186 million in additional SNAP administration funding is one of several measures designed to offset federal reductions.

State officials say they are building their budget projections around the revenue decline while maintaining commitment to programs that serve Michiganders across the state.

Community Response and Next Steps

Food banks across West Michigan are already implementing strategies to cope with rising costs and reduced federal resources. Estelle mentioned plans to enhance food acquisition strategies, foster community support, and secure essential funding to sustain operations.

Sokul noted that Gleaners has been working to make up the deficit through diversifying food sources, reallocating funds, purchasing food, and minimizing waste.

Both leaders emphasized the importance of community support during challenging times and the need for continued government funding to maintain essential services.

The state budget director's visit to Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes highlights how federal policy decisions directly impact West Michigan communities and the services they rely on.