CHICAGO – When Jodie Yanek received the rest of her long-awaited SNAP benefits for the month – and after buying some food to tide her over – she started thinking about how she could put together a small Thanksgiving dinner for her and her boyfriend with a $60 budget.
The 47-year-old compared turkey and ham prices at a nearby South Deering grocery store. She dreamed of mashed potatoes and green bean casserole and ended up buying a pie.
“I was ecstatic,” Yanek said of getting the benefits. “I cried tears of joy. It was very scary the prospect of losing it.”…