RECIPIENTS OF FEDERAL FOOD BENEFITS NEED TO BE AWARE OF NEW ELIGIBILITY RULES
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
Recipients of federal government food assistance in the south and southwest suburbs, statewide and nationally need to be aware of changes going into effect this year that could cause them to lose benefits.
Those working to combat food insecurity say recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, should be taking steps now to protect their benefits and warn the changes will mean many more people will go hungry.
Starting Feb. 1, able-bodied adults who don’t meet new work, volunteer or training requirements or who aren’t exempt will only be eligible to receive three months of benefits, according to the Illinois Department of Human Services. After that, they will lose assistance entirely for three years starting May 1, stressed Man-Yee Lee, a spokesperson for the Greater Chicago Food Depository.
“We’re bracing ourselves for these historic changes coming to SNAP,” said Lee, adding more than 450,000 Illinoisans are estimated to be at risk of losing food access due to the new work reporting requirements.
“All of these changes are going to be leaving millions of SNAP participants across the country at risk of being kicked off the program,” she said.
Illinois was among states with high unemployment rates where federal waivers were in place, exempting more people from having to meet work requirements, Lee said. The budget reconciliation legislation passed by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump last July took away those waivers.