Record Numbers at Food For Greater Elgin

We are seeing record numbers of people turning to our pantry for food.

In December, we averaged 688 families a week. In January, that shot up to 861 families—a number that is holding pretty consistent through February. 

What’s going on?

1. The first of three impacts of changes in US government food aid (SNAP, what used to be called food stamps), has arrived. Seniors who saw an increase in social security last October are getting a reduction or loss of SNAP benefits because they now earn too much. The number of seniors coming for food on Seniors Only Fridays has increased by almost 20% since December.

2. Large numbers of immigrants are arriving in northeast Illinois. The majority of these first-time immigrant shoppers are unaware of other food pantries nearer to their homes. Part of our orientation process is alerting them to those pantries and, as a result, there are many we never see again. But there are a lot of new arrivals, and they need food.

3. On March 1, there will be a 15% cut in SNAP benefits, marking the end of pandemic emergency funds. This cut will hit some harder than others: An individual reduction could drop from $238 to $23, while a family of three could see a $200 drop in benefits.

4. In May, the “Certification of Need” that has been held in abeyance since COVID began restarts, meaning that anyone getting SNAP or Medicaid benefits must be recertified as meeting the requirements. Folks who no longer meet those requirements, or simply forget to file for recertification, will lose their benefits.

I don’t aim to debate the merits of these changes in benefits, but wish to note that there will be people (some? many? no one knows for sure.) who have been self-sufficient for food and other expenses who will now turn to us for assistance.

We are going to see more people in need. Will you help us feed them?

-Michael