Genesee County, MI — On Tuesday, October 28, 2025, District 2 Commissioner Charles Winfrey held a joint press conference with Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson to discuss the prospective lapse in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits starting November 1. . Commissioner Winfrey shared the following statement:

Across this nation, more than 40 million people rely on SNAP benefits to put food on the table. Here in Genesee County, that includes more than 80,000 of our neighbors—families, children, seniors, and veterans who depend on this support. That’s 20 percent of our population, making Genesee County one of the highest-impact areas in Michigan for any prolonged loss of food benefits due to the government shutdown.

When these benefits are threatened, the stability of our entire community is threatened.

The Food Bank of Eastern Michigan, and their partner organizations, have served our community incredibly well over the years, and we must do our part to support them even more during these challenging times. So, thank you to those community service organizations, faith-based nonprofits, and volunteers who are stepping up to make sure a potential loss of these benefits does not become a food crisis in Genesee County — we will always be better when we stand together.

In Genesee County, we are on the frontlines of community service through our Senior Services Department, Veterans Services and GCCARD, meeting a whole host of needs including food distribution. We appreciate their efforts and the manner in which they represent who we are as a people-focused organization.

I also want to acknowledge our county employees and appointees who have been working tirelessly to ensure adequate resources are available in the near future, taking a proactive approach to an uncertain circumstance.
I’m confident that, in the coming days and weeks, we will overcome whatever challenges are placed in our path, if we stand together as one community.

Thank you.

If you need assistance, please use the links below:

• The pantry locator is a place where people can plug in their zip code and a mile radius to find local pantries.
• The Find Food Calendar shows the Pop Up pantry schedule across the 22-county service area of The Food Bank.
• If you would like to donate, you can follow this link. Please make sure to identify the recipient of the donation in the memo line.

We will continue to keep residents informed moving forward.