Illinois food stamp recipients will receive full benefits by Nov. 20. The payout comes after the longest government shutdown in history came to an end earlier this week.
The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) said it anticipates “that the remaining payments will be made over the coming days, with all SNAP recipients receiving their full November benefits by Nov 20.”
“This crisis was entirely avoidable – the Trump Administration had the funding to fully support SNAP but chose not to, putting tens of millions of Americans at risk of hunger,” IDHS said in an emailed statement.
An estimated 1.9 million Illinoisans are in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Recipients initially faced the threat of not receiving any assistance, as congressional lawmakers were unable to come to a resolution on a budget for the upcoming year. Partial payouts were then expected to go out after two federal judges ordered the Trump administration to use contingency funds of nearly $5 billion for the SNAP program.
Many organizations and even restaurants across the Chicago area stepped up to fill the gap from cuts in benefits. In response to the SNAP cuts, Gov. JB Pritzker also signed an order providing $20 million in state funding to 2,600 food pantries across the state.
In an emailed statement to The TRiiBE, the Greater Chicago Food Depository said that the return of the benefits will “ease a painful and unnecessary crisis.”
Though food stamps are expected to be fully funded this month, changes to the program are still happening beginning in December as a result of the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” Recipients will soon have to meet additional requirements to receive food benefits in Illinois, such as providing proof of working or volunteering 80 hours a month. The work requirement was previously waived in the state of Illinois. Work requirements will not apply to those who fall under certain exemptions, such as being under 17 years old, being 65 years or older, having a child under the age of 14, or being pregnant.
According to the Greater Chicago Food Depository, the “One Big Beautiful Bill” will also require states to pay for the majority of the bill for the program starting in 2027. The move could cause Illinois to provide up to $800 million in yearly benefits.
SNAP recipients can visit the Greater Chicago Food Depository’s advocate action center web page to learn more.
