Though LSA senior Bethany Oudersluys no longer lives with the convenience of University residence hall meals in her off-campus home, she doesn’t have to worry about paying for food. In fact, she doesn’t pay for it at all. By possessing a Michigan Bridge Card, the federal government pays for all her grocery needs, as long as she spends $200 or less on food each month. But Oudersluys hasn't always had that luxury.

Prior to February of this year Oudersluys made her meals as affordable as possible.

"I know how to make the cheapest macaroni and cheese," Oudersluys said. "It's a package of Ramen noodles and a slice of American cheese."

A part of the federally funded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the Bridge Card is the most recent and modern form of government-issued food stamps. Food stamps originated with the anti-poverty Food Stamp Act of 1964 signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson when crop surpluses coincided with high levels of hunger in the country. The government could give food to the needy and help farmers move their crops. Since then, food stamps have gone through many reforms to become the Bridge Card, but still serve the purpose of providing food to those who may otherwise not be able to get it.

Oudersluys has had a Bridge Card since February and feels she can eat healthier because of it — abandoning the cheap mac-and-cheese option for something more filling. A frequent Whole Foods Market shopper, Oudersluys said she thinks she eats better than many of her friends who buy their own food.

"I feel like I can buy nicer things with it," Oudersluys said. "I feel like all my friends are like, 'Yeah I eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and Ramen all the time,' and I'm like, 'Cool, I'm eating fruits and veggies.' "

Recipients of Bridge Cards have money deposited into their Bridge card accounts by the federal government every month on a scheduled date. Generally, for students like Oudersluys, the amount is $200. However, the amount is dependent on how many people the card is supporting. The card is similar to a debit card except funds can only be used to purchase food — not prepared meals, cigarettes or alcohol. When the card is used at the checkout, if any of the prohibited items are being purchased, the card will recognize those items and not allow the funds to pay for them.

Oudersluys said she heard about the Bridge Card Program through a friend who also had the card.

"It's extremely helpful because I don't have to worry about when I'm going to be able to buy groceries or when am I actually going to be able to eat food," Oudersluys said. "It's one less thing I don't have stressing me out anymore."

In 2009, The New York Times collected information about Bridge Card usage in every county. In Washtenaw County, 9 percent of the population, or 30,224 people, were SNAP recipients compared to neighboring Wayne County, which had 427,676 people, or 22 percent of its population receiving food assistance.

According to the Food Research and Action Center, the state of Michigan received more than $2.8 billion for the SNAP program from the federal government in 2010. In February, about 1.8 million people in Michigan were recipients of the money. About 20,000 of them were students.

Previously, status as a college student deemed many students eligible for the program. The federal government put optional work requirements in the qualifications for the program. However, it is up to the state to enforce the requirements — something Michigan previously chose not to do. But when a state bill revisiting the qualifications passed last spring, the work requirements were added to Michigan’s program qualifications.

Additionally, when state legislators voted to change the qualifications to become a part of the SNAP program in February, the state cracked down on the number of college students able to obtain a Bridge Card.