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This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.<\/em><\/p>\n The United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service<\/a> announced<\/a> Thursday that no Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program<\/a> benefits will be distributed from Nov. 1 until further notice due to insufficient funds. Nearly 13%<\/a> of Michigan households receive assistance from SNAP, a federal program that provides monthly food benefits to low-income households. USDA\u2019s website states that due to the ongoing federal government shutdown<\/a>, there may be limited availability of government funding to pay for these benefits.<\/p>\n About 41.7 million<\/a> Americans, including 1.4 million Michiganders, receive SNAP benefits, typically through an electronic debit card which can be used at grocery stores nationwide. In a press release<\/a>, Elizabeth Hertel, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services<\/a> director, said losing SNAP funding will have drastic impacts on many families, and that the state will do what it can to minimize harm.<\/p>\n \u201cSNAP is more than a food assistance program; it\u2019s a lifeline for many Michigan families,\u201d Hertel said. \u201cIt helps families put nutritious food on the table, supports local farmers and grocers, and strengthens our communities and economy. We are strongly disappointed by the USDA\u2019s decision to delay this assistance, and in Michigan we will do what we can to help blunt this impact.\u201d<\/p>\n