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Michigan officials plan to issue February food stamps early due to shutdown

The United States Department of Agriculture, which oversees food assistance programs nationwide, directed states to issue February food assistance benefits early.
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LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services will be issuing Food Assistant Program (FAP) benefits early for the month of February. 

The state will be issuing February's benefits on Saturday, Jan. 19. 

"That means the 1.2 million Michigan residents who receive food assistance will have benefits to feed their families in February even if the partial federal government shutdown continues," MDHHS said in a statement on Monday. 

The United States Department of Agriculture, which oversees food assistance programs nationwide, directed states to issue February food assistance benefits early. USDA previously stated that food stamps will be funded through February because of a short-term funding bill. 

No additional benefits will be distributed, so the state encourages families and recipients of FAP to budget the funds they receive in January so they last through February. 

Food stamps in Michigan are typically issued over a 21-day period throughout the month.

"USDA officials identified this one-time early benefit distribution of food assistance as a chance to provide the benefits during the shutdown," a release said. 

MDHHS also said that Women, Infants and Children (WIC) benefits should be available for states to issue in February without interruption. In Michigan, more than 200,000 mothers, pregnant women and young children receive nutritional food through WIC.

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