State Rep. Ron Robinson (R-Utica) today responded to The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announcing that SNAP payments are going to be delayed because of the federal shutdown:

“Families in our community rely on SNAP to put food on the table, that’s what makes this delay so frustrating and concerning. While the federal shutdown is causing disruptions beyond our control, I want to assure the people of our district that here in Michigan, we are not in a shutdown and have taken strong, bipartisan steps to protect critical services.

“In Michigan we avoided a shutdown by passing a bipartisan state budget earlier this month. Our budget ensures that Medicaid coverage remains secure, our hospitals, police departments, and veterans’ services remain open and serving citizens, and our schools continue to operate without missing a beat.

“Even though Congress is still struggling to resolve the federal shutdown, our priority is putting people first and working together across party lines to keep Michigan strong. As the shutdown persists, we’ll keep fighting to lessen the impact on our residents and support those who depend on these vital programs every day.”

People affected by the SNAP payment delay can call 2-1-1 to be connected with local food and community resources or visit the Food Bank Council of Michigan website to locate nearby food banks and learn about additional hunger relief efforts.