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| The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to Michigan.gov/DNR. |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 21, 2022 Governor Whitmer Announces Michiganders to Receive Additional Assistance in March to Lower the Cost of Groceries
LANSING, Mich. – Governor Gretchen Whitmer today announced all Michigan families who are eligible for food assistance benefits will receive at least an additional $95 monthly payment in March to help lower the cost of groceries and ensure Michiganders can keep more of their hard-earned money. The additional assistance will help approximately 1.31 million Michiganders in more than 700,000 households.
“Michiganders will receive additional assistance to put food on the table in March as we continue growing our economy,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “This relief ensures that families can thrive and help us build on our economic momentum. We will continue collaborating with our federal partners to get things done by lowering out-of-pocket food costs and put money in people’s pockets with our proposals to roll back the retirement tax, triple the Earned Income Tax Credit, and lower the cost of gas.”
In April 2020, some Michigan residents began receiving additional food assistance under this program. In May 2021, all eligible households began getting extra monthly benefits. Federal approval is necessary every month.
Eligible clients will see additional food assistance benefits on their Bridge Card from March 19-28. These benefits will be loaded onto Bridge Cards as a separate payment from the assistance that is provided earlier in the month.
All households eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) receive an increase of at least $95 monthly, even if they are already receiving the maximum payment or are close to that amount. Households that received over $95 to bring them to the maximum payment for their group size will continue to receive that larger amount.
Below are the maximum allowable benefits for SNAP customers based on their respective household size:
The federal government is providing additional funding to states for food assistance under House Resolution 6201, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.
Eligible families do not need to re-apply to receive the additional benefits. People who receive food assistance can check their benefits balance on their Michigan Bridge Card by going online to www.michigan.gov/MIBridges
Customer service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Spanish and Arabic service is available. If you are deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing or speech-impaired, call the Michigan Relay Center at 7-1-1.
More for MI Money Plan Governor Gretchen Whitmer outlined her priorities to save Michigan drivers, seniors, and working families money. The More for MI Money Plan builds on proposals announced by the governor during her 2022 State of the State address to eliminate the retirement tax on seniors and triple the tax credit for working families and temporarily pausing the state sales tax on gas.
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Pontiac, Michigan – Oakland County has received top honors in financial reporting. The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) awarded Certificates of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to the county for its Fiscal Year 2020 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) for the 30th straight year and its Fiscal Year 2020 Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR) for 24 years in a row.
The ACFR and PAFR are one of the many ways Oakland County remains transparent and accountable to residents and taxpayers. The ACFR discloses the county’s finances in full detail to anyone who wants to review them, particularly those investing in the county. The PAFR provides a summary of the county’s finances in a format that everyone can understand.
“[Oakland County’s ACFR] report has been judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program, which includes demonstrating a constructive ‘spirit of full disclosure’ to clearly communicate its financial story,” the GFOA said in a news release announcing the award.
Organizational excellence is among the seven goals outlined in the County’s new five-year roadmap, unveiled by Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter in his 2022 State of the County speech March 15, 2022.
“Our administration has a reputation for fiscal responsibility through prudent management, balanced three-year budgets and innovative services,” said Coulter during his address. “Maintaining fiscal discipline and ensuring the county lives within its means is a fundamental principle of good government. So is transparency.”
Oakland County is a leader in financial transparency. It offers several reports from the budget to monthly financial reports on its Fiscal Services webpage.
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| Hi there,
I want to let you know about some exciting news from Washington: $16 million dollars is headed to our district to help local communities fund projects and priorities that will shape the area for years to come. In the Spring of 2021, I asked local leaders to submit proposals for priority projects that would benefit residents and businesses in communities across our district. We received more than 50 submissions, finally selecting the maximum of 10 to advocate for in Congress. Over the past year, I stayed in close touch with those leaders, visited many of the project sites, and took what I saw and heard back to Washington. This money was going out, the only question was its destination. It could have headed to a three-letter agency or been part of a big department budget, but I fought for it to be returned back to folks here at home. I’m thrilled to say that both the fight and the wait were well worth the effort! Recently, we received word that all 10 of our projects are going to receive direct federal funding. Here’s a list of the projects that will receive funding in the coming months: Ingham County:
Livingston County:
Oakland County:
All of these projects had broad community support, and many of them had been seeking funding for years. This is money that will truly make our district safer, healthier, and an even better place to live, and it was my privilege to fight to secure it. And the good news keeps coming – we will soon be accepting submissions for the next round of these “Community Funding Projects,” so stay tuned! – Rep. Elissa Slotkin |
Press Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 22, 2022 CONTACT: Bob Wheaton, 517-241-2112, WheatonB@ Michigan residents encouraged to make healthy choices about food during National Nutrition Month LANSING, Mich. – Michiganders can spice up Nutrition Month by trying healthy seasonings from around the world this month. As Gov. Gretchen Whitmer proclaims March to be Nutrition Month in Michigan, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and its Diabetes and Kidney Unit is joining with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to remind Michiganders about making healthy dining choices. This year’s theme for National Nutrition Month, “Celebrate a World of Flavors,” is a reminder that the U.S. and Michigan have diverse populations with unique backgrounds and tastes. “Trying new spices is a great way to celebrate other cultures,” said Dr. Alexis Travis, senior deputy director of MDHHS’s Public Health Administration. “It can also help us reduce our salt intake by replacing it with other seasonings and spices. MDHHS is always working to improve access to healthy food and provide Michigan residents education about healthy nutrition to make the healthy choice the easy choice. I encourage Michiganders to make it a goal to try one new seasoning or spice this month.” Curry, cumin, oregano and cayenne pepper are among alternatives to salt. Here are some other tips to consider for eating healthy on a budget:
Eating healthy does not mean giving up foods important to your culture. Registered dietitians help clients set nutrition goals to improve health, while keep in mind dietary preferences. They can provide recipe ideas, cooking tips and other healthful advice for everyday challenges such as cooking dinner or meal preparation or ways to incorporate favorite foods into a meal plan. Dietitians are often a part of the Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support team. For those diagnosed with diabetes, assistance from dietitians on this team is a covered benefit from Medicare, Medicaid and most commercial insurance. To find a service near you visit Michigan DSMES locations. For more information about diabetes visit MI.gov/diabetes. For more information about healthy eating and lifestyle, visit Eatright.org. If you need help making ends meet, learn about MDHHS’s assistance programs or apply at www.michigan.gov/MIBridges. |
Rogers and other fire-qualified staff in DNR’s Forest Resources Division met last week to discuss the outlook for this season and develop plans to keep Michigan’s people and forests safe from the threat of wildfire. The season generally begins in early spring, ending with winter snowfall.
During 2021, Michigan’s largest fire was the Brittle Fire, about 5,600 acres in the northeastern Lower Peninsula on federal land. Prior to that, the most recent large fire was the Duck Lake Fire that started with a lightning strike in May 2012 north of Newberry in the Upper Peninsula. It burned 21,135 acres in three weeks’ time.
In addition, the spring danger of wildland fire from natural or human causes is very real.
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Throughout spring, summer and fall, DNR fire managers have a phone call every Thursday to discuss the weather forecast and the risk of fire in each area of the state. If needed, they’ll move staff around geographically to meet expected needs.