LANSING - The U. S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service and the Michigan Department of Human Services are hosting the 16th Annual Midwest Region "Big Ten" Food Assistance Program Improvement Conference August 16-18 at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in Grand Rapids. The conference is hosted by a different state each year.

The annual conference features speakers on topics including customer service, reducing work within the workload, maintaining high performance with reduced staffing, and the importance of good case documentation.

"It is critical that the program be operated as effectively as possible," DHS Director Marianne Udow said. "Conferences such as this provide the opportunity for staff to share proven strategies and to create new potentially effective strategies that will improve the operation of the Food Assistance Program from both integrity and service perspectives."

The Food Assistance Program provides support to needy households and to those making the transition to self-sufficiency. The program enables low-income families to buy nutritious food with Electronic Benefits Transfer cards.

The Food Assistance Program serves a range of low-income people including families with children, elderly, and people with disabilities. Approximately 80 percent of recipients live in households with children while 31 percent live in households with an elderly or disabled household member.

"Our goal is to ensure that we are doing all we can to protect Michigan's families," said Marianne Udow, director of the Department of Human Services. "Ensuring that families and children have food on their tables is a critical element in that mission."

Michigan DHS administered federally funded food benefits to 523,055 households in June 2006, representing nearly 1.15 million individuals. The Midwest agencies participating in this conference annually each issue more than $10 million in food benefits. Since 2000, participating agencies have attributed over $120.3 million in savings or cost avoidance to initiatives learned at "Big Ten" conferences.

In Michigan, The Food Assistance Program supplements the food purchasing power of low-income individuals and families. The U.S. Department of Agriculture pays for 100 percent of program benefits. The state and federal governments share administrative costs. Department of Human Services' staff members statewide determine eligibility for applicants.

The Food Assistance Program was formerly called food stamps.