Sara Ismail
Earlier this year, the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) convened several partners–including the Arab American Heritage Council, the African Bureau of Immigration and Social Affairs and the Michigan League for Public Policy–to form a coalition and launch a campaign advocating for the passage of Senate Bill 35. This legislation has since been signed into law and will result in the repeal of Michigan’s SNAP asset test in 2024. Check out this Q&A blog with ACCESS Public Policy Associate Sara Ismail to learn more about ACCESS and the coalition’s efforts to remove this unnecessary barrier to food access for Michiganders.
Can you tell us a little about ACCESS and your role with the organization? My name is Sara Ismail and I am a Public Policy Associate with ACCESS. Essentially, I lead the state policy issue areas for ACCESS, which is the largest Arab American community nonprofit in the country. ACCESS has been serving the community for more than 50 years, with approximately 120 programs and 170,000 clients in southeast Michigan. We provide a wide range of social, economic, health and educational services to a diverse population, with a strong focus on community-building and a commitment to serve anyone who walks through our doors.
Can you give us a quick overview of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Michigan’s asset test for SNAP? SNAP is a federal program that provides food benefits to families with low incomes to supplement their grocery budget so they can afford the nutritious food they need to stay healthy. Some Michigan families and individuals with low incomes have been unable to access these benefits, however, due to the state’s SNAP asset test, which requires Michiganders to have less than $15,000 in assets in order to receive the food assistance they need.
Why was removal of Michigan’s SNAP asset test important to ACCESS? From our work in the communities of southeast Michigan, we were seeing just how big of an issue food insecurity has been–especially for historically marginalized groups–and how the asset test was hurting people that really needed SNAP benefits. We were hearing from a lot of parents that were working full-time jobs and still weren’t able to make ends meet, some of whom were ineligible for food assistance because they had been responsibly saving for things like emergencies or end-of-life planning and were, therefore, just above the asset limit. That is why we decided to make it a priority to advocate for the passage of Senate Bill 35–for the people we serve and for all Michiganders in need of food assistance.
How did ACCESS and its partners take action to support the SNAP asset test repeal? We applied for and received a grant through the American Heart Association’s Voices for Healthy Kids program to help fund a campaign and bring together several subgrantees to partner with us. Our partners included the Arab American Heritage Council, the African Bureau of Immigration and Social Affairs and the Michigan League for Public Policy. As a coalition, we worked to collect stories from our communities, provide testimony to the Michigan Legislature, engage with Senate and House committee leaders, provide educational outreach via a comprehensive toolkit and connect advocates with their elected officials through a call-to-action campaign.
What were some of the most powerful stories you heard from community members during your story gathering on this issue? There were so many powerful stories, but here is one example:
“My teenage son lives with me. Because he had a summer job that was putting money in his bank account, our SNAP benefits were cut. His income was too much for us to qualify, even though it was just a summer job, and we still did not have enough to cover our bills and buy food. We had to use food vouchers that ACCESS gave us in the summer, and then reapply for SNAP when school started back up and his job was over. The way my culture is, people don’t just move out right when they turn 18. Even once he is 18, we will still need SNAP because he’ll still be a part of my household and needs to be fed.”
What was it like working with the League on this project? The League has been such a great partner. I have loved working with League staff on so many different areas of advocacy, from food benefits to healthcare, immigration and education. League staff do such a great job with gathering, analyzing and disseminating data, which has been so valuable to our advocacy work.
Now that Senate Bill 35 has been signed into law by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, what’s next?
Because Senate Bill 35 passed on party lines, it will not go into effect until the 91st day after the Michigan Legislature adjourns sine die for the year. Once it takes effect, we will join 36 other states in our country that have already repealed the SNAP asset test. We are now in the implementation phase of our campaign, which includes outreach to our communities to let them know that Senate Bill 35 passed and provide updates on when the new law is expected to take effect. We’re really excited that we’ve gotten to this point and we are so appreciative of our partners, the governor, and the legislators who helped make this happen, especially Sen. Jeff Irwin who introduced the bill. Food insecurity impacts so many people in our state. We fought for this for all of them.
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.
Jacob Kaplan 
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. 
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.
Donald Stuckey 
Patrick Schaefer
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
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.
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.
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.
Amber Bellazaire joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a policy analyst in June of 2019. Her work primarily focuses on state policy and budgets affecting Michigan’s Medicaid programs. Previously, Amber worked at the National Conference of State Legislatures tracking legislation and research related to injury and violence prevention, adolescent health, and maternal and child health. She also brings with her two years of Americorps service. As a full time volunteer, Amber had the opportunity to tutor high school students in Chelsea, Massachusetts and address issues of healthcare access and food insecurity through in-person outreach in Seattle, Washington.
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.
