Nearly two million Illinois residents receive a monthly allotment to purchase food under the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). But some recipients have only received partial payment this month because of the federal government shutdown. One DeKalb County nonprofit is working to fill the gap.
It was a sunny afternoon, and the workers at Rooted for Good were moving pallets of food to a box truck at its DeKalb warehouse.
Rooted for Good started as a school district garden more than a decade ago but became a food pantry that now has physical locations in DeKalb, Genoa and Kirkland. It also has a mobile pantry that makes food drop-offs at different locations in throughout the county. On this day, it headed to the village of Waterman. It stops there every other month.
About two dozen people, bags in hand, sat in a small room at the Clinton Township Community Building waiting to line up for food.
Local Deborah Weekly said some of the nearby food pantries allow people to get food from them twice a month, so this additional option helps supplement in between pick-ups.
“The cost of food and everything is just so outrageous," she explained, “our pay is not helping us live, and them doing these helps families so much, and it's just so appreciated because I couldn't make it [without it].”
She’s not the only one struggling. Loraine Jackson was there with a couple of family members. She gets Social Security and SNAP, but she hasn’t received her SNAP benefits this month.
“But I don't have the extra money to buy food with,” she said. “So yes, I'm due mine on the ninth and I understand we won't get them. I won't get it. To not get your SNAP benefits, we're living month to month, so without getting them, how are we supposed to eat?”
Kyle Moore is a regional program director for Rooted for Good. He said the delay of SNAP benefits is driving more people to seek help. They’ve seen the numbers nearly double at the Waterman location.
“Sandwich, same thing, we’re expecting an increase. We have been told by other pantries in southern DeKalb County that there was an increase, so here and at the warehouse, I think, is really what stands out the most.”
Heather Edwards, the executive director of Rooted for Good, said, on average, before the government shutdown, roughly 40 households visited the mobile pantry when it stopped in Waterman. She said it’s scrambling to meet the increased demand.
“We are ordering more food," Edwards explained. "We know that we are going to see more households, more families coming in. We just aren't sure at this point what exactly that looks like, because this is something that hasn't happened before.”
Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker signed an executive order that gives a total of $20 million to seven food banks in the state. The Northern Illinois Food Bank expects to receive $2.3 million of that but said there’s still a large budget gap they need to close.
Heather Edwards, the executive director of Rooted for Good, said that they need additional help as well. She said they especially need donations of canned goods, pasta, and other nonperishable items.
This month, the Rooted for Good mobile pantry has scheduled stops in Cortland, DeKalb and Malta. If you’re struggling to access food, look here for a list of Illinois food pantries.
