Starting Saturday, funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which feeds almost 2 million Illinois citizens, may run dry. MCHS and local programs are already preparing for the effects it will have on.
Throughout Illinois, more than 40% of SNAP households have children or disabled individuals, 37% including older adults, and all the Department of Agriculture can warn is that ‘the well has run dry’ as lawmakers continue in government limbo.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently confirmed that they cannot allocate the necessary funds to SNAP holders until congress passes a budget.
The USDA also confirmed it is unable to provide the $5 billion from it’s emergency funds because “SNAP contingency funds are only available to supplement regular monthly benefits when amounts have been appropriated for.”
President Donald Trump had claimed in a press release that SNAP is being improperly used and that the cuts are mandatory and are being done to “serve the truly needy.”
“The mission of the program has failed,” the White House released in a “Myth vs. Fact” article. “SNAP was intended to be temporary help for those who encounter tough times — we are strengthening this program to serve those who need it most.”
With mention of a prior held vote on these priorities September 19, House Speaker Mike Johnson argues that every Democrat in the House save for one had voted to not fund SNAP and related benefits. “The Democrats are playing games,” Johnson said in a press conference.
Illinois Governer JB Pritzker disagrees, stating, “The federal government gets to print money, we can’t. It’s like they’re cracking holes in our boat from Washington D.C., and we can only hold so many boards together. There’s gonna be a leak.”
Trump had spoken on board Air Force One during a recent trip to Asia with a comment to reporters that “we’re going to get it done,” without a walkthrough as to how.
“Why is it that they can find the money during a shutdown to pay their masked federal agents wreaking havoc in our communities but not help people in need put food on the table?” Pritzker added on X. “Trump promised to lower costs but that’s not happening – the very least they could do is preserve SNAP access for low-income families struggling to feed their kids.”
Eligibility requirements for SNAP have also changed. The cut-off age for these requirements has been moved up by 10 years, from 54 to 64. Potentially, this could put a further strain on 37% of struggling families.
“This is a day by day operation that will require a lot of creativity and strategic thinking,” Ryan Croke, first assistant deputy governor for the Department of Health and Human Services, told the Belleville News-Democrat.
Pritzker states that the focus of his administration’s actions will be on propping up private businesses and local co-ops that can support those requiring food assistance in the way SNAP would.
In this way, local food pantries and non-profits are preparing to pick up the slack in regards to the current situation and the danger it may put families in, including Food For Thought, MCHS’s food pantry
“[Food for Thought is] a weekend meal program and pantry located at MCHS. We provide weekend meals for students in need,” says Ashley Diedrich, English teacher and Food for Thought advisor.
MCHS students who need access to Food for Thought can contact Diedrich or Cheryl Myers at the Upper Campus and Gary Myers at the Freshman Campus
Food pantries are also located near and in McHenry. FISH of McHenry is open on the third Tuesday of the month from 4:30-6:30 p.m., and the Interfaith food pantry in Algonquin for the first and third Saturday of the month in the timeframe of 9:30-11:30 a.m.