The U.S. Department of Agriculture has posted a notice on its website that federal funding for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will stop on Nov. 1, leaving millions of families at risk. As the government shutdown enters its third week, local food pantries are bracing for a sharp surge in demand.
Naperville-area food pantries like Loaves & Fishes Community Services and West Suburban Community Pantry are preparing for the impact. They expect families to seek help from their distribution centers, as SNAP benefits supplement the grocery budget of low-income households.
Loaves & Fishes prepares to help Naperville-area SNAP households
Loaves & Fishes reported that just under 114,000 households they serve receive SNAP benefits, commonly known as “food stamps.” Illinois’s largest and most impactful food pantry, the organization served just over 484,000 people this fiscal year in DuPage, Kane, Kendall, and Will counties.
Because SNAP benefits are 100% funded by the federal government, the state lacks the budgeted funds to cover these expenses. Over 1.9 million Illinois residents receive SNAP benefits…