JACKSON — State Representative Kathy Schmaltz — who represents Michigan’s 46th District, covering parts of Jackson and Washtenaw counties — is calling on Congress to end the federal government shutdown.
Schmaltz says the gridlock in Washington is delaying food assistance payments for millions, including more than 1.4 million Michigan residents who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. That number includes more than 570-thousand children.
She says Michigan’s state government passed a balanced budget earlier this year to protect essential services, but that a prolonged federal shutdown could also affect the Women, Infants, and Children program, known as WIC, which provides nutritional support to about 189-thousand people in Michigan.
Families affected by the delay can call 2-1-1 or visit the Food Bank Council of Michigan website for help finding local food banks and community resources.