Health
Illinoisans Kicked Off SNAP to Receive One-Time $400 Benefit Under New Program
(Photography By Tonelson / iStock)
Illinois residents who lost food assistance benefits following federal rule changes will receive $400 under a new program announced by Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday.
Starting Aug. 1, families who lost Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits will receive a one-time $400 benefit per eligible household member.
The one-time benefits are being provided through the newly launched FRESH program, which stands for Families Receiving Emergency Support for Hunger. The $70 million program can support up to 175,000 Illinois residents who lost or received reduced SNAP benefits due to changes in eligibility.
No paperwork or application is required; the one-time benefits are issued automatically.
Approximately 100,000 Illinoisans who’ve been affected by cuts to SNAP will receive a one-time benefit at the start of next month, according to the Governor’s office.
“At a time when the cost of groceries, gas, and utilities are all rising, Donald Trump and Republicans decided to strip food assistance from nearly 100,000 people,” Gov. JB Pritzker said in a statement. “In Illinois, we passed the FRESH program to help provide some relief for families kicked off food assistance, but no state can backfill the cruel and imminent cuts set in motion by Trump’s budget bill.”
The Illinois Department of Human Services will issue the benefits each month to additional individuals who lose coverage until funding is exhausted, according to a news release. Newly eligible individuals will be issued one-time benefits after the 16th of the month that they lose access to SNAP, according to a news release.
Last year’s passage of H.R. 1., also known as Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” led to sweeping changes to the SNAP program by imposing stricter work requirements to remain eligible for the program and cutting eligibility from certain immigrant groups such as refugees and those granted asylum.
As of July, nearly 150,000 Illinoisans lost SNAP benefits following the passage of H.R. 1. and the state has worked to help many regain food assistance, according to the governor’s office.
Households that are eligible for the FRESH program are those with one or more members who lost benefits and did not regain eligibility, according to a news release. A notice will be mailed to households and the one-time benefits are deposited as a cash benefit on an individual’s Illinois Link card.
More information about the FRESH program can be found on IDHS’s website.
Contact Eunice Alpasan: [email protected]
