Government Food Programs
Government food programs are our community’s first defense against hunger. For those who qualify, food programs provide an important supplement to a household’s food budget, and allow our neighbors who struggle to buy food continue to eat nutritiously while trying to afford other basic living expenses.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a federally funded program designed to assist a household in purchasing food. Food Assistance benefits are issued into a food account using electronic technology and a debit card known as the Michigan Bridge Card. The Bridge Card can be used at any participating grocery stores in the same way as a personal debit/credit card.
Information about Food Assistance Benefits in Michigan.
Apply for food assistance online.
The Commodity Supplemental Food Programs (CSFP) is a federally funded program which works to improve the health of low-income pregnant and breastfeeding women, children until age six, and elderly people of at least 60 years of age by supplementing their diets with nutritious USDA commodity foods.
Locally, the CSFP program is administered by OLHSA.
WIC provides Federal grants to States for supplemental foods, health care referrals, and nutrition education for low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and non-breastfeeding postpartum women, and to infants and children up to age five who are found to be at nutritional risk.
In Livingston County, the Department of Health administers the WIC program.
The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools and residential child care institutions. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to children each school day. Inquire with your child’s school to apply at any time.