Monroe County program helping people at risk of losing SNAP benefits amid government shutdown
A Monroe County, Michigan, nonprofit says it has seen an uptick in calls from concerned residents after state officials announced Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits would be temporarily paused beginning in November amid the federal government shutdown.
The Monroe County Opportunity Program aims to reduce poverty. Executive director Stephanie Kasprzak says that 16,000 people in Monroe County receive SNAP. Now their goal is to make sure the community stays fed.
"For many folks, by the time they get to the end of the month, it's quite tight anyway. And it's the end of the month now, and it's feeling very tight, and knowing that next week, November first, they are not going to get their benefits is even scarier," Kasprzak said. "What we're doing right now is working with Gleaners, setting up mobile pantries at the beginning of November."
Over 1 million people in Michigan receive SNAP, according to state records. With this latest announcement, it's become worrisome for many.
"It's really anxiety-inducing, and it's scary. And it's sad. It causes a lot of stress for me and my kids," Renee Catchings told CBS News Detroit.
Catchings, a single mother of two, is one of many SNAP recipients in Michigan. She's worried about what the future could look like.
"I'm not sure exactly what we will do. But as a mother, I'm going to have to do what I need to do to make sure that my kids are fed," she said.
Catchings said she applied for SNAP last year after being injured on her job. She told CBS News Detroit that with only $41 left on her SNAP card, that won't last much longer.
While Renee does work part-time, it's not enough, which is why she says SNAP has been a big help. Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows food prices in August 2025 were 3.2% higher than in August 2024.
"It's expensive, and I'm raising two kids. And I have a special diet because of what I'm going through physically, emotionally, and psychologically, Catchings said. "So, accessing food banks and things like that, we tried that before we started SNAP, and it just didn't really work out for us."