Number Of Illinois SNAP Recipients Reaches 13-Year Low 

Millions of people have lost access to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits because of changes in President Donald Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill.” Illinois is one of the states hit hardest by these changes, with SNAP enrollment reaching a 13-year low by the end of August. 

Illinois Policy reports that August was the ninth month in a row that the state reported a drop in SNAP enrollment. Illinois has one of the highest numbers of SNAP recipients. About 1 in 9 Illinois residents receive SNAP benefits, with Chicago accounting for about 31% of recipients.

The Trump administration has tried to frame these drops as a positive, but these decreases aren’t happening because people no longer need the program. One of the biggest changes made to the program is the new work requirements. Under the new rules, SNAP recipients must work 80 hours a month to qualify for benefits. 

The timing of this change couldn’t be worse, as the job market is abysmal right now and full-time work is hard to come by. Many part-time jobs restrict how many hours you can work, which makes reaching that 80-hour threshold difficult. At my part-time job, I’m not allowed to work over 19 hours a week. 

Illinois is trying to address the issue and has invested $70 million in the newly created Families Receiving Emergency Support for Hunger (FRESH) program. Unfortunately, the program doesn’t function as a viable replacement for SNAP benefits, as it provides only a one-time $400 payment for families that lost SNAP benefits due to the Trump administration’s changes. 

“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,” Governor JB Pritzker said in a statement announcing the FRESH program. “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 Trump administration’s changes to SNAP benefits have been felt nationwide. My home state of Arizona ​has faced some of the most significant cuts to SNAP benefits. Arizona has lost $600 million in SNAP benefits, with nearly half of recipients losing their benefits this year. 

These SNAP changes could be one reason people are going into debt just to pay for groceries and other essentials. The changes also come as Trump’s erratic tariff policy and unnecessary war in Iran have only worsened inflation and caused prices to go up on everything from gas to groceries. 

It should come as no surprise that the economy is at the top of mind for voters ahead of next month’s election. Trump’s approval rating has reached a record low this week, and his handling of the economy has been so poor that Democrats are seen as more trustworthy with the economy for the first time in a decade. 

It’s almost like starving people and making healthcare unaffordable isn’t the smartest move to make if you want to win an election. Who could’ve guessed? 

SEE ALSO:

Millions Of People Have Lost SNAP Benefits Due To Trump Overhaul

Here’s What To Know About The Changes To SNAP Benefits This Month