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Families across Michigan are beginning to see $400 deposits hit their Bridge Cards this week to help cover back-to-school clothing costs.
The payment is part of the Family Independence Program (FIP) — Michigan’s temporary cash assistance program for low-income families with children. It’s an annual benefit distributed ahead of the school year to help cover essential clothing expenses.
In the Facebook group P-EBT Michigan 2025, some users said they were still waiting for their deposit, while others confirmed they had received the funds. Many noted the amount is smaller than last year’s.
Over the past two decades, the clothing allowance has steadily increased, reaching a historic high of $529 per child in 2024. This year, however, it dropped to $400 per child.
The State of Michigan has appropriated $10 million for the 2024-2025 clothing allowance. Once those funds are exhausted, no additional payments will be issued — even if a family or child is otherwise eligible through the FIP eligibility group (EDG).
To qualify, households must have an active FIP case as of July 31 for the August benefit.
The last significant reduction to the clothing allowance came in 2013, when the state eliminated the benefit altogether during a round of budget cuts and federal funding reductions. That move was part of a broader effort to avoid layoffs of state workers during the national fiscal tightening.
WKAR News has compiled answers to some of the most common questions about eligibility and how the clothing allowance works.
Do I qualify for the clothing allowance this year?
All eligible children included in the FIP eligibility group will receive the clothing allowance, as long as they qualify for FIP benefits during August 2025. This includes children receiving SSI.
However, children who are disqualified for other reasons will not receive the supplement — with one exception: children disqualified solely for not having a Social Security number are still eligible for the clothing allowance.
If I just started getting benefits, will I still receive the allowance?
- No. To be eligible for the August benefit, households must have an active FIP case as of July 31.
When will the clothing allowance be deposited?
- A separate supplement will be deposited into each client’s EBT cash account alongside their regular FIP payment, with the funds available starting August 1, 2025.
Does the clothing allowance cover teenagers or just younger kids?
- To qualify for FIP, a household must include at least one adult and one dependent child. The adult must be the child’s primary caretaker, and the child must be under 18 (or 18 and a full-time high school student). Disabled adult children do not qualify as dependents.
What if I just had a baby — will they get anything this year?
- There are exceptions to the rule that a dependent child must live in the home. You may still qualify for FIP if you’re pregnant or if your child is in foster care but expected to return within a year.
