Wayne and Washtenaw Counties To Receive Food Assistance

LANSING, MI—The Michigan Department of Human and Health Services will provide $11.5 million in food assistance to 22,000 households in Wayne and Washtenaw counties that were affected by flooding and power outages from June 25 to 29, according to a department news release Tuesday.

Only applicants who applied for federal Disaster Food Assistance Program benefits from Aug. 12 to 19 will receive the additional aid. They will receive a one time only benefit Michigan Bridge Card to use at retail stores and farmers markets.

The total number of residents to receive disaster assistance is 87,517.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer paved the way for the assistance with her presidential disaster declaration for both counties, which President Joe Biden's administration approved.

"No Michigander should have to worry about putting food on the table, especially as they’re facing extreme weather events and persistent flooding of their home and other property," Whitmer said.

"This food assistance, approved by the Biden administration, helped 22,415 families in Washtenaw and Wayne counties as they continued to rebuild their lives after this summer’s historic flooding," she added. "We will ensure that impacted families have the support they need right now and invest in our infrastructure to make it more resilient to increasingly extreme weather."