Cloud
Desktop
All over the state tens of thousands of seniors, 60 and older, are shopping at the grocery store with the help of a Michigan Bridge Card. Single seniors receive between $16 and $192 a month in benefits to buy food. Many of them thought that they had too much money to qualify. They thought someone else needed help more than they did. They didn’t want to go or couldn’t get to a government office far from their homes to apply. They heard from friends that the application is complicated with too much paperwork. Or they were ashamed that people would look at them differently if they ask for help from the government.
Did you know?
Nearly 50% of seniors who are eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are not enrolling and using the program.
Your years of paying taxes have helped children and families put food on their tables when they were out of work or struggling with an illness. In other words, you’ve paid your dues.
But what about the paperwork and the hassles of applying at a government office? What would you say, if I told you it’s as simple as calling us to apply online? You don’t even need a computer or an Internet connection. We will take care of submitting your application to the state after a short interview with a friendly benefits counselor.
Each year thousands of seniors call us asking for help which costs you nothing but a few minutes of your time. And we don’t stop there. We have a dedicated employee from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services on staff who will help you navigate the bureaucracy and follow up with you if you have questions about your application.
But I’m not eligible, you might be thinking. Don’t prejudge yourself. Let us screen you for eligibility. It only takes two to three minutes to answer eight questions to see if you might qualify for a Michigan Bridge Card.
Even if you might not qualify for a Bridge Card, you may be eligible for help paying for Medicare and your Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Benefit. What do you have to lose by calling 877-664-2233? We can be reached Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
A little time out of your day might pay off with extra funds each week to buy your medicine, pay the utility bill, or just buy enough food so you don’t have to skip meals next month.
Important Note
MiCAFE participates in online advertising of its services as a way to educate older adults and their families about the SNAP benefit and other key benefits. This is currently being done through ads on Facebook. Funding for those ads come from our own funds and from grant funds designated for outreach and education efforts.
MiCAFE can be reached at 877-664-2233 Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Elder Law of Michigan is a Benefits Enrollment Center designated by the National Council on Aging and can help older adults and people with disabilities learn about public benefits programs, be screened for eligibility, and receive assistance in enrolling at community-based locations. BECs are supported with funding from the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL) as part of NCOA's MIPPA Resource Center. For more information on Benefit Enrollment Centers, please visit https://www.ncoa.org/centerforbenefits/becs/
This publication is supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award/funding by ACL/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by ACL/HHS, or the U.S. Government.