Michigan Eliminates Food Stamps for 30K College Students

Michigan officials recently eliminated some 30,000 college students from the state's food stamp program in an effort to reduce spending. But anti-poverty advocates say they’re worried the most vulnerable, low-income students will be hit the hardest by the changes.

“A consequence of it is that very needy college students who are living at home with parents who are low income are also ineligible for food benefits, simply because they are college students,” said Judi Lincoln, a policy analyst with the Center for Civil Justice, an advocacy organization for low-income persons in Michigan.

During the planning phase of the changes, Michigan officials estimated that between 10,000 and 18,000 students would be deemed ineligible. Lincoln worries that some of the extra students, who bring the total figure to 30,000, may experience undue hardship.

There is also concern that because the change is taking effect during most colleges’ summer breaks, some students will be confused as to whether they still qualify for assistance. Lincoln said that following the announcement, the Center for Civil Justice has seen an increased call volume from former food stamp recipients.

Federal regulations generally prevent students from receiving food stamps, but Michigan created an exception in 2000 which made individuals enrolled in training programs—including colleges and universities—eligible for the program.

DeWayne Wells, president of Gleaner’s Community Food Bank, worries emergency food banks will now be forced to shoulder the burden of needy students who are no longer eligible for food stamps.

“The program will now preclude a lot of people who would have qualified from accessing those benefits,” DeWayne said. “It's an already-strained emergency food distribution network.”

However, DeWayne highlights Gleaner’s partnerships with Michigan universities as addressing the needs of college students as well as their communities. The first Michigan chapter of Campus Kitchen, a student-run food distribution which distributes food to needy families as well as students, opened recently at University of Detroit-Mercy.

The Michigan Department of Human Services is also ending federal assistance for residents who have been on the program for more than four years and eliminating hardship exemptions, which grant public assistance extensions to families that have exceeded their time allotment. This week, the state began to mail notifications to families that have passed the five-year limit.

The widespread consensus is that Michigan’s public-assistance program was bloated. Supporters of the cuts point to the statistics—one in five Michigan residents are currently enrolled in the food stamp program—and the projected savings of $75 million a year as evidence of excess. But it’s unclear whether state officials are taking the possible danger to genuinely needy students seriously.

“Maybe [students] could go get a part-time job—that's what I did,” Michigan Human Services Director Maura Corrigan told the Detroit News.

But anti-poverty advocates say they wish elected officials had found a middle ground that protects the vulnerable bottom tier of low-income students.

“We went from being very generous to being very restrictive,” Lincoln said. “This change doesn't take into consideration that many, many low-income students who were struggling just to make ends meet are left with no ability to access food benefits. And that is unfortunate.”

Jon Christian is a staff writer with Campus Progress. Follow him on Twitter @Jon_Christian.

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