DTE Foundation Grants $3M to Combat Food Insecurity in SE Michigan

DTE Energy Foundation has announced a grant of $3 million to United Way for Southeastern Michigan and partner agencies to help tackle food insecurity in the region. The funding will provide immediate support to bridge the gap for families in need, as food insecurity continues to rise and assistance programs decline. According to United Way, food insecurity calls have increased by over 33 percent in the last two months.

The decline in food support under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), combined with an increase in grocery prices due to inflation, has resulted in what is being called a “hunger cliff” for many households in Southeastern Michigan. This has led to an increase in food insecurity for struggling families.

“This support from the DTE Foundation is putting food on the tables of people who need it most and helping fund ongoing work to address food insecurity in our region,” said Dr. Darienne Hudson, president and CEO at United Way for Southeastern Michigan. “We hope other organizations will join in this mission to help stabilize Michigan homes.”

The grant allowed United Way for Southeastern Michigan to distribute the $3 million funding throughout the region where the need was greatest. 20,000 households have been provided a $100 gift card redeemable at Kroger to use towards food and basic needs. To help bridge the grocery gap, a portion of the support will also be distributed to various organizations to boost supply for local food pantries.

“Many in our state are facing significant challenges and especially with our neighbors losing the SNAP boost, we knew we had to expand our support and provide hope in a truly tangible way,” said Lynette Dowler, DTE Foundation president.

The DTE Foundation has awarded more than $500,000 within the past year to address food insecurity. To distribute the gift cards to those who need it most as quickly and efficiently as possible, United Way for Southeastern Michigan used two basic eligibility criteria. Those who have participated in select United Way assistance programs in the last two years, as well as those who live in areas with the greatest concentration of need as defined by United Way’s ALICE report were eligible to apply.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that roughly 31 million people will be affected by the reduced assistance as grocery prices remain high. The DTE Foundation and United Way for Southeastern Michigan hope that this grant will help provide immediate relief and encourage other organizations to join the mission to help stabilize households in the region.