Food Pantries Brace For Huge Increase In Need As Feds Cut Off SNAP Funding

See Block Club Chicago for full article. Below is an excerpt from the article by Reema Saleh that appeared in Block Club Chicago on October 30, 2025.

Local food pantries are preparing for an unprecedented increase in visitors as the Trump administration plans to cut off funding to food assistance.

Starting Saturday, nearly 2 million Illinois residents will lose Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, known as SNAP, according to a Illinois Department of Human Services news release.

Trump administration officials have said they won’t fund the federal program until the government shutdown ends, while Illinois is one of 25 states suing the government, arguing officials must tap into emergency funds during the shutdown to finance the program. Gov. JB Pritzker signed an executive order Thursday that funnels $20 million in state funding to food banks across Illinois starting Nov. 1.

“It’s making a big impact, choosing between bills and foods,” said Charlene Echoles, a mother of three from Humboldt Park who is trying to figure out how to go without SNAP during the shutdown. “I’m learning about a lot of new pantries, so that’s a very good thing … but it’s still kind of a bummer because that food stamp money, it really helps in my household for feeding my kids.”

Nonprofit food pantries, many of which have already been stretched thin by rising demand in recent years, may not have enough food and resources to meet the extra demand from SNAP households.

“A lot of seniors do rely on these social safety-net programs, like SNAP, Medicare and Medicaid,” said Cory Morris, Director of Community Impact at Meals on Wheels Chicago, which distributes meals and operates a monthly food pantry. 

“Most of our seniors have about $47 a week to live on … and the dollar doesn’t stretch as far as it used to,” Morris said. “So if you’re needing to make the choice between medicine or food, it’s a really hard choice, especially if it’s a medicine that you need to just be able to function properly. I think a lot of hard decisions are going to be made.”

Chicagoans can help neighbors and organizations in need by donating money or volunteering, organizers said.