Michigan Food Banks Face Rising Costs and Federal SNAP Cuts as State Budget Director Visits Kalamazoo

Budget Director Tours Food Bank Amid Growing Hunger Concerns

KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Michigan's State Budget Director Jen Flood and State Sen. Sean McCann toured Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes this week, hearing directly from food bank staff about the challenges families face accessing SNAP benefits amid federal regulatory changes.

The visit highlighted the intersection of state and federal policy on a deeply personal level. Food bank workers described how new regulations from the federal "One Big Beautiful Bill" Act are making it harder for Michiganders to get the nutrition assistance they need.

"We are seeing the federal government pass the tab to states on some really important programs like SNAP and Medicaid," Flood said. "We wanted to come here to see sort of the work on the front."

Governor's Budget Includes SNAP Funding Despite Federal Pressures

Governor Gretchen Whitmer's budget proposal, which totals $88.1 billion, includes more than $186 million in additional funds to administer SNAP. The proposal also includes upwards of $780 million in Medicare funding.

"The action that Congress took last year blew an enormous hole in our budget and it also puts access to food and health care at risk for millions of Michiganders," Flood said.

The state faces a more than $1 billion decline in revenue this year as federal pressures mount. When asked if the State Budget Office was taking that into effect, Flood confirmed it is building its budget based on those projections.

"We built our budget based on those projections," Flood said. "We'll get an update in May, but the Governor's committed to leaving our state's finances in better shape than she inherited them, so we will watch closely what happens and make sure that our spending leaves us in a good place."

Federal Cuts Hit Food Banks Hard Across Michigan

The challenges extend beyond what the state budget addresses. Food banks across Michigan are reporting increased demand alongside reduced resources.

Ken Estelle, President and CEO of Feeding America West Michigan Food Bank, which serves 40 counties and about 800 partners in the state, said rising gas prices are affecting their budget because distribution relies on transporting food in trucks throughout a service area of about 700 miles.

"Diesel fuel is currently a big challenge for us because it's over $5 a gallon, which is more than what we had planned on," Estelle said. "So basically we're right now spending about $7,000 a month more on diesel fuel than what we would have planned, which is equivalent to about 28,000 meals."

Estelle noted that about 30% of the food Feeding America West Michigan distributes comes through federal programs, primarily the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). The Trump Administration cut $500 million from TEFAP, about a quarter of the 2024 funding.

Under the Big Beautiful Bill, Americans are seeing the largest cut to funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in its history. Estelle said more people are looking for food assistance after changes to SNAP qualification rules, which is a challenge to manage.

Food Banks Struggle With Donation Deficits

Gleaners Community Food Bank in Southeast Michigan is facing similar hurdles. Kristin Sokul, Senior Director of Advancement Communications, Marketing, and Media/PR for Gleaners, revealed a significant decrease in food donations.

"In one calendar year, we saw a deficit of 9 million pounds of donated food," Sokul said. "And that came from the USDA, which had reduced their donated food to us by about 5 million pounds year over year, and then other food donating resources, private donors."

Sokul explained that Gleaners' funding consists of a mix of direct donations, either through organizations or individuals, grants, and government sources. To address the donation deficit, the food bank is diversifying food sources, reallocating funds, purchasing food, and minimizing waste.

"Through times of challenge, we have seen our community come together to support our neighbors for the hunger-free communities that we know are possible," she said.

State Budget Process Remains Divided

The Governor's budget proposal is just one piece of the process. Both chambers of the legislature will each put forth their own vision. Republicans, who control the state House, are already wary of new taxes sought by Whitmer and a $400 million draw from reserves, which they called non-starters.

"At the end of the day, we care about a lot of the same things," Flood said. "I've seen Speaker Matt Hall's comments about the Governor's proposal, but he'll have an opportunity to put out his own budget and approach for solving the deficit that we're facing."

Flood was asked about whether the Governor is open to cuts, and said Whitmer has a strong record of fiscal responsibility.

"During her time in office, we've seen about a 4% growth," Flood said, referring to revenue growth during her tenure.

The Human Impact

During their tour of Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes, Flood and McCann walked through the food bank's warehouse, hearing from volunteers about what they're facing. Staff described how the people they serve are having a harder time accessing SNAP, pointing to new regulations from the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

"We know that families are facing rising costs, and so in the Governor's final budget, we have investments to help make sure that people maintain access to healthcare, maintain access food," Flood said.

The state budget process is underway as Michigan lawmakers weigh federal pressures against their own policy priorities. The outcome will determine how much support Michigan's 800+ food bank partners receive in the coming months.

Sources:

• UpNorthLive — State budget director tours Kalamazoo food bank, talks SNAP and governor's proposal — https://upnorthlive.com/news/local/state-budget-director-jen-flood-kalamazoo-food-bank-snap-governor-budget-funding-loaves-fishes-politics-government-michigan
• Michigan Public — Michigan food banks see more demand amid rising gas prices, federal funding cuts — https://www.michiganpublic.org/politics-government/2026-04-02/michigan-food-banks-see-more-demand-amid-rising-gas-prices-federal-funding-cuts
• Kitchen Table News — Michigan Food Banks Struggle Amid Rising Costs and Federal Funding Cuts — https://www.kitchentablenews.org/michigan-news/michigan-food-banks-struggle-amid-rising-costs-and-federal-funding-cuts/