LANSING, MI — Michigan families eligible for food assistance benefits will receive additional monthly payments in August in light of the ongoing pandemic, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced Friday.

Around 1.25 million people making up 700,000 Michigan households stand to benefit from approximately $113 million in aid from the federal government.

Last month, residents were issued $113.7 million in additional benefits. The amount in August should be similar, according to MDHHS spokesperson Bob Wheaton.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer applauded the department and thanked President Joe Biden’s administration in a statement Friday.

“As we continue our economic jumpstart, we must ensure that every Michigan family can put food on the table,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said. “It is essential for us to continue our efforts, and I thank the Biden administration for helping us feed 1.25 million Michiganders in 700,000 households across the state.”

Eligible recipients will see additional food assistance benefits on their Bridge Cards from Aug. 7-13. Additional benefits will be loaded onto Bridge Cards as a separate payment from the assistance that’s already provided earlier in the month.

“MDHHS is pleased to be able to continue to help families affected by the pandemic put food on the table,” said MDHHS Director Elizabeth Hertel. “We will continue working hard to provide Michigan residents who are in need with easy access to benefits.”

All households eligible for SNAP benefits receive an increase of at least $95 monthly, even if they are already receiving the maximum payment or are close to that amount. Households that get over $95 and meet the maximum payment for their group size will continue to receive that larger amount.

Below are the maximum allowable monthly benefits for SNAP customers based on household size:

• One Person: $234
• Two Persons: $430
• Three Persons: $616
• Four Persons: $782
• Five Persons: $929
• Six Persons: $1,114
• Seven Persons: $1,232
• Eight Persons: $1,408

Eligible families do not need to re-apply to receive the additional benefits. People who receive food assistance can check their benefits balance on their Michigan Bridge Card by going online to www.michigan.gov/MIBridges or calling a consumer service representative at 888-678-8914.

Customer service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Spanish and Arabic service is available. If you are deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing or speech-impaired, call the Michigan Relay Center at 7-1-1.

Some residents started receiving additional food assistance at the start of the pandemic in April 2020. In May 2021, all eligible households began getting extra monthly benefits. Federal approval is necessary every month.

Food assistance benefits were expanded April 1 to include college students struggling financially during the pandemic. Michigan also received federal approval to give millions in food assistance to children missing out on school meals back in February, when about 810,000 children were granted access to $741.6 million in benefits that will help their families pay for food at stores or online.

The federal government is providing additional funding to states for food assistance under House Resolution 6201, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. The resolution provides supplemental appropriations for federal agencies to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak.

READ MORE FROM MLIVE:

Michigan to receive $741.6 million in federal food assistance for K-12 remote students

Michigan expands food assistance benefits to college students