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STANTON — A total of 100 food cards will once again be available for Montcalm County veterans facing emergency situations.
The Montcalm County Board of Commissioners on Monday voted 6-0, with Commissioner Nate Alexander absent, to approve an annual request from Veterans Affairs Director Trevor Wright to purchase 100 food cards (for $200 each) from Leppink’s and Meijer grocery stores at a total cost not to exceed $20,000.
Wright noted that while the Montcalm County office has typically purchased these cards through a state grant through the Michigan Department of Veterans Affairs, this process has become “tedious” and restrictive.”
Michigan’s budget, which was signed at the last minute to avert a government shutdown, included changes to the County Veteran Service Fund (CVSF) grants, limiting what the grants can be used for.
“We ran into problems last year when the state overshot by $3.5 million,” Wright said. “Remember, this is a reimbursement program, so counties went out and spent a bunch of money and then the state said, ‘ope, our bad.’ It caused a big uproar. So we just stepped back from it. Our budget does fairly well.”
The food voucher program will now be paid for directly out of the Montcalm County Veterans Affairs’ emergency relief fund.
“How do you select who gets one of the 100 food cards?” Board of Commissioners Vice Chairman Adam Petersen asked.
“By necessity,” Wright responded. “Generally, we would use this in conjunction with our emergency relief fund. If someone came in and they were behind on electricity and house payments. In those cases, we would also ask if a food card would be appropriate.”
Montcalm County Veterans Affairs was established five years ago and is funded by county taxpayers through a countywide millage, most recently approved by voters in 2024.
The idea for a local Veterans Affairs department began in 2014 and its first millage went on the ballot in 2020, providing for office staff, supplies, gas, oil, tires and maintenance for vehicles and emergency assistance (previously known as the Soldiers & Sailors Relief Program under Michigan’s Public Act 214, which the county Veterans Affairs absorbed when it began operating under Michigan’s Public Act 192).
Today, the office offers multiple services to veterans and their families, including help in accessing benefits and services from federal, state and county agencies for which veterans are eligible. Montcalm County is home to approximately 4,000 military veterans.
Visit montcalm.us/281/Veteran-Services for more information, call the office at (989) 831-7477 or visit the office anytime between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at 211 W. Main St. in Stanton.
