Friday, September 9, 2005

Advocates fight cuts in food stamps

Local groups say 4,000 Michiganians could lose aid if Congress OKs plan to reduce federal program.

By Kim Kozlowski / The Detroit News

Food stamps in Michigan • More than 1 million state residents receive food stamps, or nearly one out of every 10 residents. • On average they receive 88 cents per meal, or $237.40 to feed a family of three for a month. • Of the households that receive food stamps, 51 percent include children, 17 percent have a senior citizen, 32 percent include someone with a disability and 5 percent include a nondisabled, non-elderly adult. Source: "Food Stamps: Supporting Healthy Families and Communities in Michigan" Comment on this story Send this story to a friend Get Home Delivery

Local advocates for food assistance are calling on Congress today to refrain from cutting the federal food stamp program that could affect nearly 4,000 Michigan residents.

Most of the people in the state who would be affected by the proposed cuts are the working poor: people who have jobs, but still struggle to make ends meet.

"In Michigan, where we've had a really stagnant economy, food stamps have been a really important safety net to help people get through this time," said Terri Stangl of the Center for Civil Justice in Saginaw.

At issue is the federal House and Senate Agriculture Committee's expected decision next week on how to cut $3 billion over five years from programs under its jurisdiction. Those programs include food stamps, agricultural subsidies and conservation programs.

Nearly one in 10 Michigan residents receives food stamps, including the elderly, disabled and poor, and the number of those who rely on them has grown 75 percent since 2000. Like other states, Michigan also is assisting hurricane evacuees, including providing them with food.

But the Bush administration is proposing to eliminate a state option that allows Michigan and 10 other states to offer food stamps to families with incomes slightly over the poverty line, by factoring in some household expenses.

For instance, a family of four with both parents working 40 hours a week earning $6.25 an hour could receive $48 per month in food stamps if their rent, heat and electricity adds up to $550. But under proposed cuts, this family would no longer qualify.

"Food assistance is one of the things that keeps people out of poverty," said Marianne Udow, director of the Michigan Department of Human Services. "These are not people who are well off; they are just over the poverty line. Without food assistance, they will slip into poverty and be on the streets and need more homeless shelters, more food banks, and those are services that already are stretched, especially with the victims of Hurricane Katrina."

Dorothy Omar, a married mother of six children, would be among those families whose food stamps would be threatened under the proposed cuts. Her husband works full time as a driver for a preschool program, while she works at an after-school program and at an adult foster care home. Losing food stamps would be difficult on the Saginaw family's already tight budget.

"Most of the jobs here only hire you part time, don't offer you benefits, then don't pay enough," said Omar, 35. "By the time you get your paycheck, buy personal needs, diapers, pay bills and put gas in your car, by that time there is nothing left over to buy food."

You can reach Kim Kozlowski at (313) 222-2024 or kkozlowski@detnews.com.