Midland Republican urged changes in April

Rep. Annette Glenn, R-Midland, today announced that Michigan families who participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will now be able to buy their food online from major retailers Amazon and Walmart.

The state is also rolling out “quarantine care kits” with essential goods for families with low and moderate incomes who are in quarantine or isolation, Glenn said, with items such as food, hygiene and cleaning products, home goods and masks.

Rep. Glenn was instrumental in this process, having written a letter to the Whitmer administration in April, urging changes be made to help low-income families safely purchase groceries during the coronavirus pandemic.

“I’m very pleased with the announcement made by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services,” said Glenn, who serves on the House Appropriations subcommittee that sets the department’s budget. “Thousands of families that rely on SNAP have been unable to buy groceries online throughout the COVID pandemic since store charges weren’t covered by SNAP. To top it off, many curbside pick-up options also have fees that weren’t covered by the program, forcing SNAP participants to go into grocery stores to purchase their food and increasing their risk of catching and spreading the virus.”
The online purchase option should be available before the end of this week, according to MDHHS.

“This will make a huge difference for families in Bay and Midland counties that rely on SNAP benefits,” Glenn said, “and will help keep our entire community safe.”