LANSING, Mich. — For families receiving food assistance, a prolonged power outage during a storm can mean spoiled groceries but the state offers a program to get that food replaced.
As storms move through mid-Michigan Thursday, some households could be dealing with more than downed branches and flickering lights.
For families receiving food assistance, a prolonged power outage can mean spoiled groceries, but the state says there's a process to get that food replaced.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) allows SNAP recipients to apply for reimbursement if they lose food because of a power outage, as long as certain conditions are met.
WHO QUALIFIES?
To be eligible, your power must have been out for at least four hours. MDHHS requires applicants to prove the outage happened and to detail what food was lost.
The rule applies only to households already receiving regular SNAP (food assistance) benefits. It does not apply to Pandemic-EBT benefits, per federal requirements.
HOW MUCH YOU CAN GET BACK
Reimbursement is based on how much food was actually lost, up to a cap of one month's food assistance benefit.
For example, a household receiving up to $281 a month that lost $100 worth of food would get a $100 supplement. A household that lost more than its monthly benefit amount could receive up to the full $281.
HOW TO APPLY
1. Act fast: you have 10 days from the date of the outage to report your loss. If the deadline lands on a weekend or holiday, you can still submit on the next business day.
2. File a report one of these ways:
- Online through MI Bridges
- By phone with a Food Assistance Program caseworker
- In person at your local MDHHS office
3. Be ready to describe your loss: MDHHS asks applicants to detail what food was lost as part of the waiver request.
WHERE TO GET HELP
- Food Assistance Program: 833-905-0028 (Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.)
- MI Bridges: 1-844-799-9876
Fox 47 News has reached out to MDHHS to find out whether Thursday's storms qualify for this process in mid-Michigan counties. We will update this story when we hear back.
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