State Budget Director Tours Kalamazoo Food Bank as SNAP Funding Uncertainty Mounts Across West Michigan

Michigan's State Budget Director Jen Flood joined state Sen. Sean McCann on a tour of Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes to discuss what Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's budget proposal means for SNAP food assistance in West Michigan communities.

The visit came as food banks across the state face increasing demand from families struggling to access federal nutrition programs amid new regulations from Congress.

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

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

The governor's budget proposal totals $88.1 billion. It includes more than $186 million in additional funds to administer SNAP, but also upwards of $780 million in Medicare funding.

"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.

Beyond addressing federal pressures, the state faces a more than $1 billion decline in revenue this year. Flood said the State Budget Office has built its budget based on those projections.

"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," Flood said.

The Republican-controlled state House is already wary of new taxes sought by Whitmer and a $400 million draw from reserves, which they have called non-starters.

"At the end of the day, we care about a lot of the same things," Flood said, referring to comments from Speaker Matt Hall about the governor's proposal. "I've seen (Speaker Matt Hall's) comments about the governor's proposal, but he'll have opportunity to put out his own budget and approach for solving the deficit that we're facing."

The reality on the ground is already showing the strain these policy changes are creating. Ken Estelle, President and CEO of Feeding America West Michigan, which serves 40 counties and about 800 partners across the state, said rising gas prices are affecting their budget.

"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."

Estelle noted that about 30 percent of the food Feeding America West Michigan distributes comes from federal programs, primarily TEFAP. Under the Big Beautiful Bill, Americans are seeing the largest cut to funding for SNAP in its history.

Estelle said more people are looking for food assistance after changes to SNAP qualification rules, which is creating additional challenges. 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, Senior Director of Advancement Communications at Gleaners Community Food Bank in Southeast Michigan, said their organization has also been hit hard by funding cuts.

"In one calendar year, we saw a deficit of 9 million pounds of donated food," Sokul 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 Gleaners has been working to make up the deficit through diversifying food sources, allocating more funds, purchasing more food themselves, and minimizing food waste.

"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.

Both chambers of the legislature will each put forth their own vision during the budget process. The governor's proposal is just one piece of what will become a months-long negotiation.

The budget director's visit to Loaves & Fishes highlights the human impact of state and federal budget decisions in West Michigan communities like Kalamazoo, where families rely on these programs for basic nutrition.

"The people they serve are having a harder time accessing SNAP," said staff at the food bank. "We are seeing the federal government pass the tab to states on some really important programs like SNAP and Medicaid."

As the budget process moves forward, officials say they are committed to protecting access to essential services like SNAP and Medicaid, even as the state grapples with significant revenue challenges and federal policy changes that are reshaping the landscape for West Michigan residents.