Bay County committee accepts emergency relief policy change that will limit Food and Gas card eligibility

The Bay County Veterans Affairs Committee on May 19 voted to receive updated emergency relief policy language that tightens eligibility for the Food and Gas card program.

Committee members heard from staff that a 2025 policy change restricts repeated use: "on the third consecutive year they could no longer take part in the food and gas card program," staff said, and the committee included a copy of the redlined policy in the meeting packet. The change was described as intended to limit long-term dependence on the small emergency benefit and to clarify the county’s administrative practice.

The update matters locally because the county distributes roughly 30 Food and Gas cards per quarter (about 120 a year), staff said, and if current usage patterns continue the number of veterans impacted will grow over time. Staff said the committee has begun informing participating veterans about the change so it will first affect recipients in 2027.

The motion to receive and accept the emergency relief policy updates was made, seconded and carried by voice vote. Committee members asked questions about program caps and staffing needed to notify recipients; staff said they would highlight the change in client-facing materials and could discuss outreach plans at a future meeting.

Background: the policy packet the committee reviewed breaks out emergency relief expenditures and assistance types for the first quarter and includes reporting required by the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency, which provides a county grant tied to quarterly reporting. The committee did not set a different effective date; staff stated the change had been adopted by the committee in 2025 and that its operational effects will begin in 2027.

The committee is expected to follow up with public-facing notices and additional administrative details at a later meeting.