Shrinking Benefits, Growing Hunger Pangs: Part 2
Slashing Grants and Funding
As you may have heard, the threat to SNAP and Medicaid benefits is very real, and the possibility of both crucial supports getting cuts is terrifying.
Unfortunately, the bad news doesn’t stop there.
Food pantries like ours are also staring down uncertainty when it comes to funding.
Funding in a Nutshell: How FFGE Gets Food
A good portion of funding comes from two buckets:
1.Legislated (Formula-Based) Funding
This bucket is controlled by Congress, based on the needs of individual states. The USDA evaluates the need in Illinois, and we receive x amount of dollars, which is passed to the state to distribute.
The state (IDHS) has a similar distribution formula, which they use to determine how much money will go to the Northern Illinois Food Bank–our best partner in crime (er, feeding the hungry). In turn, they’re able to sell us food at a hugely discounted rate, and we get a daily delivery from their bank.
Illinois’ 2025 budget is expected in mid-June, which will determine whether state-funded food programs can continue at current levels.
Still, there’s comfort around this mostly stable funding.
The second bucket? Not so much.
2.Discretionary “Bonus” Funding
“Bonus” funding is allocated at the whim of the White House. Under the Biden administration, it increased; under Trump’s, it’s been sharply cut.
If that funding isn’t restored, the country will lose key grants that allow food banks to purchase fresh, local produce from farmers in the area.
These grants are vital. They help farmers offload surplus crops, while giving food banks access to affordable, nutritious produce.
Without them, both farmers and families lose.
The Ripple Effects
These uncertainties don’t exist in a vacuum.
Local farmers may not have a market for surplus crops if food banks can’t afford to buy them.
Food prices are already rising—eggs have gone up 60% in the past year
Pantries may have to scale back—if we can’t afford to purchase fresh produce from our local food bank, we’ll have to choose between reducing quantity or quality. That’s a choice we don’t want to face.
Worst Case Scenario?
If SNAP, Medicaid, state, and bonus funding are cut, the picture isn’t pretty.
A scenario where federal bonus funding gets cut, Illinois reduces its food budget, and SNAP benefits shrink—all while inflation keeps rising?
That’s not a policy debate anymore. That’s a crisis.
“We’ve got funding threats at every level,” said Andres Diez, CEO of Food for Greater Elgin. Throw it into a blender, and what you get is a shake of tremendous uncertainty.”
What can we do in the meantime?
How You Can Help:
Donate—help us stock our shelves for the summer.
Support legislation that protects SNAP and food program funding.
Volunteer at our food pantry.
Share accurate information to combat myths and stigma around food assistance.
Thank you for your continued support, especially now. You mean the world to us.
