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Food aid cuts loom for 30M Americans
Hundreds of thousands of people in Illinois will soon have less money for grocery shopping.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Hundreds of thousands of people in Illinois will soon have less money for grocery shopping.
Starting March 1, 2023, the federal government is ending emergency SNAP food benefits nationwide.
In Illinois, families have been receiving a minimum of $95 in additional food stamps since April 2020.
The extra money provided padding for families against the economic impact of the pandemic and inflation.
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Back in December, Congress decided to end the boosts prematurely instead of letting them phase out with the pandemic public health emergency that ends in early May.
"Of course, it's going to fall on the hungry people themselves, the SNAP participants, who again are operating on relatively meager benefits anyway. And when this change happens, the average amount that the SNAP participant gets per day will be about $6." Said Ellen Vollinger, Food Research and Action Center.
Many food pantries say they are preparing to see an influx as the expanded benefits phase out next week.