Imagine if you suddenly found yourself unemployed, had a family to feed, had not earned enough to qualify for Michigan’s stringent eligibility rules regarding Unemployment Insurance, and applied for food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to help you feed your family as you look for work.
Then imagine being told that the balance in your savings account of $7,218.31, which you had built up over the years for your children and in preparation for emergencies (such as needing to replace your roof or your car) was too high, and that you could only receive food assistance if you spend down your savings to $5,000 or less.
Thankfully, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced yesterday that effective November 1, the asset limit for food assistance (currently $5,000), cash assistance (currently $3,000) and heating assistance (currently $500) will be raised to $15,000. The vehicle asset limit for SNAP, which does not take into consideration one vehicle but limits the value of a household’s second vehicle to $15,000, will also be lifted. Applicants and recipients will also now be able to self-declare their assets with further documentation required if requested by the department, which will cut down on burdensome paperwork for both applicant and caseworker.
A household asset limit of $2,250 for federal food assistance eligibility was first implemented by the federal law that created TANF in 1996, but states could request waivers from that rule and either raise their asset limit higher than the federal level or eliminate it completely. Michigan, to its credit, was one of the first to eliminate the asset test for food assistance. However, the Department of Human Services reinstated it in its departmental policy at a level of $5,000 after then-director Maura Corrigan, reportedly saw a public assistance recipient emerge from a Hummer in the agency parking lot.
At the time the departmental policy was changed, the Legislature passed a law, signed by Gov. Rick Snyder, that simply says, “for the purposes of determining financial eligibility for the family independence program or the food assistance program administered under this act, the department shall apply an asset test.” Because this law remains in place, Gov. Whitmer could not eliminate the asset limit entirely, as 35 other states have done for SNAP food assistance. We urge the Michigan Legislature to remove this language from statute in order to give the governor further flexibility to eliminate the asset test completely and reduce paperwork and burden for public assistance caseworkers, applicants and recipients.
We commend the governor and the Department of Health and Human Services for making this common-sense change that will help working families.
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.
