Contact: Edward Woods III, director of communications, (517) 373-7394 or
(517) 927-1884
DHS director invites Grand Rapids residents to take Michigan Food Stamp
Challenge, donate to local food banks
Event highlights the Michigan Harvest Gathering and Voices for Action 2008
Poverty Summit
October 15, 2008
GRAND RAPIDS – Can you enjoy three nutritious meals a day with just $5.87?
That’s exactly what about 300 Michigan residents will do this week to bring
attention to the effects of poverty and increase donations to local food
banks and soup kitchens as part of the Michigan Food Stamp Challenge.
“More than 1.3 million Michigan residents received assistance from the
federal food stamp program,” Michigan Department of Human Services Director
Ismael Ahmed, who is taking the challenge, said at a Grand Rapids event
today. “Hunger is just one of the many devastating effects of poverty.”
The food stamp program – known as the Food Assistance Program in Michigan -
is part of a safety net for Michigan residents, many of whom work, but
still can’t make ends meet. Over a million of them will supplement their
food budgets this year by visiting a local food bank – and the need is
growing. In some parts of the state, emergency food providers are reporting
as much as a 25 percent increase in the number of people seeking help with
food this year.
That’s why Ahmed and about 300 Michigan residents, including Sen. Mark
Jansen; Denise Hubbard, executive director of the Montcalm County United
Way; Dr. Thomas Hass, president of Grand Valley State University; and Gov.
Jennifer M. Granholm took the Food Stamp Challenge. Their pledge calls
attention to the effects of poverty in Michigan and demonstrate the need
for increased donations as part of the Michigan Harvest Gathering, an
annual event to raise food and funds to support the state’s nine regional
food banks that serve agencies helping people in all 83 Michigan counties.
The Michigan Food Stamp Challenge encourages people to spend just $29.35
for food per person in a five-day period, equivalent to the maximum amount
a Michigan resident who has no income might receive in food assistance
benefits. The minimum amount of benefits is $14 a month with the average
benefit being about $100 a month. Michigan’s Food Assistance Program is
designed as a safety net to help ensure people have access to food during
difficult economic times. More than half of all recipients are children and
8 percent are over the age of 60.
Food Stamp Challenge participants also have the option of making a donation
of time or money to a local food bank or local soup kitchen.
“While the Food Stamp Challenge will be an eye-opening experience for many
people,” Ahmed said, “it’s important to focus our attention on reducing
poverty and maximizing economic opportunities for all.”
On Nov. 13, policymakers, low-income residents and service providers from
across the state will gather at Cobo Center in Detroit for the Voices for
Action 2008 Poverty Summit. They will look for ways to ensure that as
Michigan’s economy recovers, our poorest citizens are not left behind. This
first-of-its-kind summit in Michigan is sponsored by the Michigan
Department of Human Services, the Governor’s Commission on Community Action
and Economic Opportunity, and the Michigan Community Action Agency
Association.
The Poverty Summit is not just a one-day event, but kicks off a statewide
initiative to reduce poverty and maximize economic opportunities. After the
event, participants will continue to work on regional teams to implement
practical solutions to address the needs in the regions where they live.
For more information about the Food Stamp Challenge and the Voices for
Action 2008 Poverty Summit, including registration forms, please visit
www.michigan/gov/poverty. To donate to the Harvest Gathering, please visit
www.feedmichigan.org.
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