Latest news with #NeighborhoodHouse
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Federal budget bill threatens food assistance for millions
(WTVO) — Millions of Americans could lose their food assistance program benefits if Congress signs the 'Big, Beautiful Bill' into law. The proposed federal budget bill would slash $300 billion in funding for SNAP benefits. A food pantry CEO in Peoria said seniors and people with disabilities would be hurt most by the cuts. 'We see an increase in demand in people that we have maybe never seen before, who are not the regulars,' said the CEO of Neighborhood House, Julie Bonar. 'Oftentimes, we'll see individuals who have never been to a food pantry before because it is not something they've had to utilize. But with losing those benefits, they still have to feed themselves or their families.' The bill would raise the age requirement for SNAP from 54 to 64 for people with children who can work and shift the direct cost of food benefits to the states. The bill would also change child tax credits, make Trump's 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent and let Americans ages 65 and older with certain income limits receive extra deductions on their taxes. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Local food pantries brace for SNAP benefit cuts
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — Millions of Americans may soon lose food assistance program benefits as the reconciliation bill moves through Congress, while local food pantries are already seeing a lot of new faces. The reconciliation bill proposed $300 billion in cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides food benefits to low-income families. 'When there are things on the chopping block and funds are getting cut, we see an increase in demand in people that we have never seen before or are not the regulars,' said Julie Bonar, president and CEO of Neighborhood House in Peoria. Bonar said the demand at their bimonthly food pantry has doubled in recent weeks. She said seniors and people with disabilities will be hurt most by the cuts. 'Oftentimes, we'll see individuals who have never been to a food pantry before because it really is not something they've had to utilize. But with losing those benefits, they still have to feed themselves or their families,' she said. 'The first time someone ever comes to a food pantry, it often can be very overwhelming because they're not used to having to come and ask for assistance.' Nearly one in four people in Peoria County (23% of the population) depend on SNAP benefits. That's higher than the state average of 16%, according to the Illinois Department of Human Services. The reconciliation bill increases the SNAP work requirement age from 54 to 64 for able-bodied people with kids. It also shifts the direct cost of food benefits to the states. That means Illinois will have to pick up the tab for everyone who remains in the program. 'I think that there's a lot of uncertainty, a lot of unknown and a lot of fear. And that is, I think, how all of us are feeling right now with all of the different changes that are happening so rapid fire and changing constantly,' said Bonar. Neighborhood House relies on Midwest Food Bank and private donations to stock its pantry shelves. If you'd like to help, click here. The pantry is the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month from 10 a.m. to noon. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Neighborhood House giving away 125 Easter dinners on Thursday
PEORAI, Ill. (WMBD) — A local nonprofit is ensuring families get to enjoy Easter dinner without breaking the bank. Neighborhood House is giving away 125 dinners at its first Easter food pantry on Thursday, April 10. Each meal, consisting of ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, green beans and drinks, is meant to serve a family of four. 'There's this community aspect of food that we take very seriously when people come to our food pantry. What we want to create an environment where they can take a food home and they can have the same Easter meal as every other family in our neighborhood,' said Noah Palm, community impact director at Neighborhood House. Here's how it works: Doors open at 10 a.m. on Thursday. Families will be able to shop supermarket style, picking items they need off the shelves. Palm said hunger in Peoria continues to grow. The need is up 20-30% compared to last year. 'We've increased the amount of food we can give away with our food pantry And the different things that we've done with the food pantry have made it more inviting to people,' he said. The purpose of the event is to ensure families on tight budgets don't have to worry about paying for Easter dinner. 'I think the biggest thing is food insecurity is still a big issue in Peoria. And when we come together as a community during the times of holidays, not everybody has that ability to do that, to do that. And this food pantry makes it possible for just the most simple thing is sitting down as a family and having a meal together during the holidays,' said Palm. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
WMBD news anchors pack meals for homebound seniors
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — Three WMBD anchors and other community leaders spent Wednesday morning giving back to the community by boxing up meals for homebound seniors. The goal of Community of Champions Week at Neighborhood House in Peoria is to raise awareness about the importance of senior nutrition through Meals on Wheels. 'Oftentimes we hear that are our senior neighbors, due to just age, frailty, different conditions, it may make preparing a meal difficult, but they want to be able to stay in their home. If they weren't provided with that meal, they could end up malnourished, dehydrated and in the hospital,' explained Julie Bonar, president and CEO of Neighborhood House. Every day, Bonar said Neighborhood House delivers between 800 and 900 meals across Peoria County and Tazewell County. Each meal includes three ounces of protein, a cup of vegetables, half cup of fruit, a roll and milk. 'Oftentimes when individuals come to our program, it can be after a hospitalization due to malnutrition or dehydration. And so we're providing one-third of their daily caloric needs through the hot meal that is delivered. And then if they qualify, some of our clients also receive a frozen meal that they can have later in the day,' she said. And while food is important, the deliveries also provide something less tangible: human companionship and comfort. 'We always say that it's more than just the meal and it's that daily interaction. It's the same driver delivering each day. So they get to know the people that they're delivering to and the people that are getting the meal look forward to that daily visit from their driver. Oftentimes it's the only person that they see,' said Bonar. According to the National Institutes of Health, about one in four Americans aged 65 and older are considered socially isolated, and 43% of adults aged 60 and older report feeling lonely. 'Being socially isolated, being lonely is as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. So we really like to shed light on that, that it really truly is more than just a meal that we're delivering,' said Bonar. Neighborhood House also offers 'Critters Meals on Wheels' for seniors with companion animals. The program started 20 years ago after they found out clients were sharing meals with their pets. 'We know how important that companionship of a pet is for our seniors. There are many medical benefits to that, including lower blood pressure, less stress, and it also requires the senior to get up and care for something else. So is keeping them active,' said Bonar. Neighborhood House proudly doesn't have a waitlist for Meals on Wheels. However, they are in need of more volunteers. 'We need people who can come in and who can help take packs of hamburger buns, hot dog buns, tortillas and put them into single serving packages. We have fruit that needs to be portioned into individual, single-serving-size cups. So there's lots of opportunities for people to volunteer that way,' said Bonar. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
11th annual ‘Food Fight' raises money for Neighborhood House in a tasty way
EAST PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — The annual event 'Food Fight' raised funds for Neighborhood House while also showcasing the cuisine of local chefs. The 11th iteration of the event happened Thursday night at the Par-a-Dice Hotel and Casino in East Peoria, and it's a celebration of food and the services that Neighborhood House provides. Ten local chefs serve samples of their food, which guests can walk around and try. The chefs then compete in a 'Chopped'-style event, where they are given a bag of mystery items. They then have 45 minutes to prepare a meal out of those ingredients. Fundraising happens through ticket sales, raffles and a live auction. Willie Jones is the sales director for Kuna Food Service, which distributes food around the Midwest, and helps Neighborhood House deliver around 20,000 meals per month to people in need. He asked for community support so that the nonprofit could fulfill its mission. 'If you could go online, and donate because that donation stays 100% in the community and helps those in need,' he said. Neighborhood House feeds those in need across the Peoria area through its Meals on Wheels program and its food pantry. The nonprofit also offers after-school programs and educational programs for adults. Its mission is to provide a safe environment, resources, and education to empower the community to reach its fullest potential. WMBD's Thomas Garverick was the master of ceremonies for the event. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
