For Immediate Release
October 17, 2019
Contact:
Alex Rossman
517-487-5436
Governor Whitmer makes significant move to help struggling Michiganders
Governor, Department of Health and Human Services to implement major increase to state’s asset test limit on assistance programs
LANSING—The Michigan League for Public Policy issued the following statement on Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s announcement today that the Department of Health and Human Services is increasing the asset test limit for cash, food and heating assistance programs to $15,000. The new rule also eliminates vehicle considerations for cash and food assistance and allows applicants and recipients to self-attest, changes that lift a considerable paperwork burden from those who need assistance. The statement can be attributed to Michigan League for Public Policy President and CEO Gilda Z. Jacobs.
The statement can be attributed to Michigan League for Public Policy President and CEO Gilda Z. Jacobs.
“For too long, Michigan policymakers have been perpetuating stereotypes and creating unnecessary barriers to services and basic needs for struggling residents. Michigan’s asset test has significantly undercut the actual ‘assistance’ in the state’s cash, food and heating assistance programs, making it harder for residents and families to utilize benefits and outright punishing families for sound financial management and savings-building.
Governor Whitmer and Director Gordon understand this, and by significantly raising the state’s asset test limits on all programs, they are making great strides in fixing this counterintuitive policy. Raising the asset test has been one of our primary policy recommendations for reducing poverty in Michigan, and we are grateful to the governor and Department of Health and Human Services for making this much-needed change to better help residents, families and kids. The League will also continue to advocate for the Legislature to join 34 other states and eliminate the asset limit for food assistance completely.
“Hardworking Michiganders want to be able care for their families and work towards financial security, and one of the best ways for households to do that is to be able to set some money aside to save for emergencies and plan for the future. This is an effective and sensible way to build a more prosperous and equitable state for all Michiganders and will help families maintain a financial cushion and plan for the future, without losing vital help putting food on the table.”
BACKGROUND:
The League has been working on this issue for a long time as a major way to help reduce poverty in Michigan, including it in the League’s Owner’s Manual for Michigan policy agenda and its annual budget priorities. One in 7 Michiganders don’t have enough to eat and an estimated 1.8 million live in communities with few affordable healthy food options, leading to incalculable costs in healthcare for diet-related diseases and unfulfilled potential among students and workers.
In 2002, the federal government gave states the option of setting their own asset limits for food assistance, including eliminating them entirely. Since then, 34 states and the District of Columbia have eliminated their asset tests. Michigan was one of the first states to eliminate the asset limits, but reinstated them in 2012.
Michigan’s asset test for food assistance is a state policy that can be reversed. Since states control the food assistance asset test, Michigan could opt to eliminate it or increase the level. To receive food assistance, families currently cannot have more than $5,000 in countable assets, with some exemptions for vehicles. Countable assets include, among others, checking and savings accounts.
Eliminating the asset test would not increase state costs, and may even save the state money. Food assistance benefits are entirely federally funded, so any increases in benefits would not come from the state’s General Fund. However, the state participates in food assistance administrative costs with a 50% match. Given already high caseloads for eligibility specialists, eliminating the food assistance asset test could streamline the state’s efforts.
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The Michigan League for Public Policy, www.mlpp.org, is a nonprofit policy institute focused on economic opportunity for all. It is the only state-level organization that addresses poverty in a comprehensive way.
Jay Cutler joined the League in March 2026 as the Kids Count Senior Data Analyst, where he collects, analyzes, and prepares data for Kids Count in Michigan.
Danielle Taylor-Basemore joined the League as the Development Data and Stewardship Coordinator in June 2025. She brings with her five years of nonprofit experience with a special focus on community engagement, data visualization and strategic programming. Prior to joining the League, Danielle served as the Business District, Safety, and Digital Manager at Jefferson East, Inc.
Scott Preston is a Senior Policy Analyst with the Michigan League for Public Policy, where he leads the organization’s immigration and criminal justice reform portfolios. In the three years prior to joining the League, Scott facilitated the Southeast Michigan Refugee Collaborative and managed a small business economic development program at Global Detroit. His work included launching Michigan’s first Refugee Film Festival and building on a trusted connector model that linked marginalized communities with crucial resources. Scott’s work at the League is informed by his background in journalism and research. He spent four years covering the Syrian refugee crisis in the Middle East for publications such as The Economist, and later worked with unaccompanied refugee minors through Samaritas. Scott holds a master’s degree in international migration and public policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Kate Powers joined the League as the Chief Development Officer in February 2025. Prior to joining the League, Kate held leadership positions at many Michigan nonprofit organizations, most recently serving as the COO and Chief Development Officer of Ele’s Place. Kate has spent the bulk of her career in fundraising, with a short stint in the state Legislature as a legislative aide to members in both chambers. Kate is a graduate of Michigan State University’s James Madison College with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Relations and has a certificate in fundraising management from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. Additionally, Kate served on the East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education and is a past President of the Junior League of Lansing. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and her son and saving outfit of the day and home decor ideas on Pinterest. 
Nicholas Hess joined the League as the Fiscal Policy Analyst in September of 2024. In this role, Nicholas focuses on tax policy, government revenue, and their impact on working families and racial equity, including the effects of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC). Nicholas values the role that judicious fiscal policy can play in the improvement of people’s lives and the economy, alleviating inequities along the way.
Audrey Matusz joined the League as the Visual Communications Specialist in September 2024. She supports the team with implementing social media strategies and brainstorming creative ways to talk about public policy. She brings with her nearly a decade of experience in producing digital products for evidence-based social justice initiatives. 
Jacob Kaplan 
Donald Stuckey 
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
