Kate Maehr and Julie Yurko: We need to strengthen — not cut — SNAP benefits

Chicago Tribune

24-04-2025

Veronica Cox had a plan, and receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to help feed her three kids wasn't part of it. She got a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and worked in security for 10 years before debilitating pain in her hips — caused by a health issue she's likely had since birth — forced her to stop working.
While the 37-year-old mom prays her disability application is finally accepted, she searches for a job that doesn't require sitting or standing for long periods. In the meantime, Cox relies on child support and SNAP benefits to keep food on the table for her children ages 15, 9 and 7.
'Honestly, I don't know what I'd do,' Cox said of a potential cut in benefits. 'SNAP plays a huge role in me being able to feed my children. (A reduction) would be a true struggle. It would cause damage.'
We hear stories like this often from guests at the hundreds of food pantries and other programs in our partner networks throughout Cook County and northern Illinois. For neighbors such as Cox dealing with a health issue, older adults with fixed incomes and ever-increasing expenses, working individuals struggling to make ends meet and countless others, SNAP is a vital resource.
All of us at the Greater Chicago Food Depository and Northern Illinois Food Bank are deeply concerned about the impact of potential cuts to SNAP that will likely result from the budget resolution being discussed in Congress, which includes a potential $1.1 trillion in reduction to SNAP and Medicaid. A vote to determine the specifics of these cuts is expected this month.
Guests who visit our partner pantries share our concerns, expressing anxiety about what they will do if their SNAP benefit is reduced. With elevated food prices and a high cost of living, many are already struggling to keep food on the table throughout the month.
As our nation's front-line defense against hunger, SNAP currently supports nearly 2 million families in Illinois. The program is essential for the 1 in 4 families with children in the Chicago metro area experiencing food insecurity. By assisting neighbors in affording groceries, SNAP helps lift families out of poverty, improves long-term educational and economic outcomes, and reduces risks of diet-related diseases.
In addition to harming our neighbors, cuts to SNAP would be detrimental to the emergency food system, including food pantries and food banks such as ours. To put it in perspective, for every meal we provide through a partner pantry, SNAP provides nine. Without this large-scale support, food insecurity would skyrocket. Neighbors have told us that if SNAP is cut, they will visit our pantries more often. While we are grateful they see our network as a trusted resource, we know we wouldn't be equipped to handle the spike in demand.
Our partner network has already experienced an exponential rise in demand in recent years. The Greater Chicago Food Depository served a record 2.4 million household visits from neighbors in 2024, surpassing demand at the height of the pandemic. Last year, the Northern Illinois Food Bank served an average of 570,000 neighbors every month, an increase of 16% over 2023 service and double the pre-pandemic level. It is sobering to think about the potential increase if SNAP benefits are reduced.
Recipients aren't the only ones who benefit from SNAP. Every $1 spent on SNAP creates $1.50 in economic opportunity for local retailers, food producers and farmers. In 2024 alone, SNAP brought more than $4 billion to Illinois. A reduction in benefits would negatively impact local businesses right as our country is facing a potential recession.
During the pandemic, expanded SNAP benefits lifted millions of families out of poverty. Given its proven efficacy and the rise in food needs, if anything we should expand the program, not reduce it. Make no mistake, our neighbors and our community will experience great financial hardship if SNAP is reduced. We implore Congress to protect this essential program, for the health and well-being of our neighbors and the good of us all.