LANSING, Mich. — Michigan will be the first state to give food to families who are no longer getting school lunches because of covid-19.
According to the Michigan State Police, Michigan is the first state in the country to gain federal approval for this program.
They say the benefits will go to families with students ages 5-18 who are eligible for free and reduced-priced school meals.
MSP says this will also help families who both are and are not currently enrolled in the Food Assistance Program.
Families that are not already receiving benefits will get a pre-loaded Electronic Benefits Transactions card, or bridge card, in the mail that they can use like a debit card to buy food from any store that excepts SNAP benefits.
The card will be issued under the name of the oldest student, and will be loaded with no less than the value of the lunch benefits the students would have gotten at school.
Over March and April, the card will have $193.80 per eligible student and in May and June combined, $182.40 per student.
Families that already have EBT cards will start to receive additional benefits with payments staggered over 10 days.
Benefits will start late next week.
These benefits will be in addition to the over 2,700 meal sites from local school districts.
