Dear Neighbor,

After 43 days, the longest federal government shutdown in American history has finally come to an end. With the federal budget now signed into law, full SNAP benefits and other essential programs are on track to be restored. This is a welcome relief for the 1.4 million Michiganders who depend on this support to buy groceries and care for their families.

But while this is good news, the truth is unavoidable: this shutdown never should have happened. It was a completely unnecessary crisis that created real hardship. Families rationed groceries. Food banks saw unprecedented demand. Residents across Michigan were left refreshing their MI Bridges accounts every day, unsure whether benefits would arrive.

My focus remains clear: to protect our community from the damage caused by Washington gridlock and make sure Grand Rapids and Wyoming families are not left in the dark. Below you’ll find an overview of what the State of Michigan did to shield residents, and how my office worked directly with community partners to curb the impact of this shutdown on those who rely on SNAP.

Warmly,
Community Conversations with Representative Kristian Grant. Join us for an opportunity to share legislative updates and hear about what matters most to you in District 82! Monday, May 19th - 9:00 am to 10:00 am. Sip coffee and Cocktails. 806 Alger St SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49507.

Kristian Grant
State Representative
House District 82

What the State Did During the Shutdown

Even as Washington stalled, Michigan took proactive steps to protect our residents from losing access to essential services:

  • The Legislature passed a continuation budget to keep state operations running and protect services even if federal funding is delayed.
  • The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services worked closely to monitor SNAP distribution and prevent gaps in assistance for families who depend on timely benefits.
  • The state strengthened partnerships with local food banks and nonprofits, helping ensure families had access to food and basic resources despite the uncertainty.

These measures helped stabilize services at a time when federal decision-making was anything but stable.

What My Office Did During the Shutdown

Over the past several weeks, I have been meeting directly with families, advocates and organizations responding to the rising strain caused by the shutdown. These conversations grounded my advocacy in Lansing and helped shape the push to ensure that no family in our district went without food or support.

Oct. 24: Touring Kids’ Food Basket

I visited the team at Kids’ Food Basket, a local organization that provides thousands of healthy meals to children in Grand Rapids and Wyoming every day. During the visit, I spoke with staff and volunteers about how I can support their efforts to not only supply healthy food options but teach our students how to grow and maintain their own home gardens as grocery costs continue to rise.

Oct. 27: Standing Up for SNAP at the Community Food Club

I joined U.S. Rep. Hillary Scholten, state Sen. Winnie Brinks, and local food bank leaders at the Community Food Club in Grand Rapids to speak out against the cuts to SNAP and the government shutdown. Together, we called for swift federal action to prevent disruptions to food assistance for more than a million Michiganders. The event highlighted how SNAP supports working families, seniors and children, and how devastating even short-term interruptions can be for our community.

Nov. 12: Community Convening with GRAAHI

Most recently, I participated in a community convening with the Grand Rapids African American Health Institute, where I joined residents and local leaders to discuss health equity, access to nutritious food and the broader social determinants of health that intersect with food insecurity. I answered questions about state efforts to protect SNAP funding and listened to concerns about how economic barriers and systemic inequities continue to affect access to food and health care.

Across all of these events, your message was clear: our community is resilient, but instability in Washington creates real stress and real harm. I’ll continue using your voices to inform my work on the state budget, food security and health equity.

Need Help Right Now?

Some families are still feeling the effects of the SNAP benefit disruptions caused by the recent federal shutdown. If you or someone you know is having trouble accessing food, benefits or other assistance, the resources below can help:

Statewide Resources

  • Kent County DHHS Office: (855) 275-6424
  • Food Bank Council of Michigan: (800) 552-4483
  • 2-1-1 Hotline: Call 2-1-1 or visit www.mi211.org for food, housing and utility assistance.

Food Pantries & Resources – Southeast Grand Rapids

  1. The Green Apple Pantry (formerly John Knox Food Pantry)
    Address: 4307 Kalamazoo Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49508
    Phone: (616) 455-9411
    Serves residents in Southeast Grand Rapids and Kentwood with groceries and household essentials.
  2. Streams of Hope Food Center
    Address: 280 60th St. SE Suite 100, Grand Rapids, MI 49548
    Phone: (616) 272-3634
    Offers scheduled appointments and client-choice shopping for households in Southeast Grand Rapids.
  3. Baxter Community Center Marketplace Pantry
    Address: 935 Baxter St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506
    Phone: (616) 456-8593
    Provides food and clothing assistance; located in the Baxter neighborhood on the southeast side.
  4. Westminster Food Pantry
    Address: 47 Jefferson Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
    Phone: (616) 456-1153
    Emergency pantry serving central and southeast Grand Rapids; typically open Thursdays from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
  5. Fuller Avenue CRC Food Pantry
    Address: 1239 Fuller Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506
    Phone: (616) 241-1679
    Distributes food weekly and is open to Southeast Grand Rapids residents.

Upcoming Events

December Community Conversation

Thank you to everyone who joined us in October for such thoughtful dialogue. If you weren’t able to attend, our next conversation will be Dec. 5 at 9 a.m. at HUB 07. We’d love to see you there!