POLICY PRIORITIES
Our coalition has three main legislative priorities before the 2026 Illinois General Assembly Session. All three are designed to mitigate harm from the cut to SNAP in H.R. 1, support neighbors at risk of benefit loss and prepare the state of Illinois for future changes to this lifeline safety net program.
EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FOR PEOPLE LOSING SNAP (FRESH BENEFIT)
S.B.3277 (Sims) / H.B.4730 (Avelar)
An estimated 250,000 Illinoisans are at risk of losing their SNAP benefits due to changing work requirements. We are urging the state to create an emergency assistance fund – called Families Receiving Emergency Support for Hunger (FRESH) – that will provide a one-time payment of $600 (approximately 3 months of the average SNAP benefit). FRESH will keep food on the table for vulnerable families and individuals who are cut off from SNAP.
FOOD ASSISTANCE FOR LAWFULLY PRESENT IMMIGRANTS
S.B.3167 (Guzmán) / H.B.4831 (L.Hernandez)
In the coming months, 16,000 lawfully present immigrant neighbors – including asylees, refugees and others – will lose access to SNAP due to new eligibility restrictions. Illinois can use existing state-funded programs to provide ongoing food assistance to lawfully present immigrants losing SNAP and keep our neighbors from going hungry. This bill will expand who is eligible for the VTTC food program, which provides food assistance for survivors of torture and trafficking pursing lawful status.
SNAP RESPONSE WORKING GROUP
S.B.3276 (Sims) / H.B.5062 (Lilly)
There are new, historic, and devastating cuts to SNAP that are being rolled out at different times. Legislators and advocates need to be kept aware of changes, evaluate the impacts, and make recommendations on how to mitigate harm. We support the creation of a time-bound, sprint working group within the Illinois Commission to End Hunger to shine a light on the harms of SNAP changes in Federal H.R. 1, and ongoing impacts to neighbors and the state of Illinois’ budget and economy.
TAKE ACTION
Hunger in the United States is not the result of scarcity. It is the result of policy decisions and acceptance of poverty. To end hunger for good, we need strong public policy. Now is a crucial time to raise your voice and let elected officials know that you support hunger relief programs.
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Your voice matters. Elected officials need to hear from you about the importance of SNAP. Email your General Assembly members today and let them know that the state must step in to support our neighbors.
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Together, we can keep our neighbors informed and connected to critical benefits. Use our toolkit to share critical information with your community.
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Public policies impact real people in our community. Members of Congress need to know about the personal impact of SNAP on their constituents' lives to fight these harmful policies. Share your story of how SNAP impacts your family and community.
Food is not a privilege. It is a basic human right.
We stand ready to confront this emergency head-on, but we cannot do so alone. Help our neighbors navigate changes to their benefits and advocate to ensure SNAP keeps working for Illinois neighbors.