Due to the recent US government shutdown, federally funded programs no longer have the funding they need. Many federal workers are not getting paid, and one thing that is severely affecting people across the United States is SNAP benefits not being funded. SNAP – or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs – is federal funding that aids low-income families with buying groceries and as of 2025, there are 42 million Americans on SNAP (USA Today) but due to the government shut down, these Americans are losing their access to it. In Illinois, people will only receive partial benefits for the month of November. Because of this, it’s important for people to know places and organizations in their community that can provide aid.
211 is a number that anyone in the United States can call to get information on resources in their area. It’s free, confidential, and offers help in over 180 languages. It connects people to health and human resources in their area and helps with non-emergency crises. There are over 15,000 contacts in Peoria county alone. 211 Illinois helps connect people with food pantries and other food resources near them. This could be a vital tool for people who had their SNAP benefits cut and need access to other ways of receiving food.
The University of Illinois offers a program called Find Food Illinois where you can simply enter your zip code and receive many different places in your community that offer aid in food and meals, including sites for school and summer meals. A map is easily accessible on the website with blue icons that point out the nearest places to you. Additionally, there’s a filter so you can narrow down exactly what you’re looking for. Another service the website offers is that it shows the offices near you to sign up for SNAP benefits, and it also shows stores, markets and retailers that accept them.
If you want and have the means to help people during this time, there are many organizations that accept donations like the Salvation Army and 211 Illinois. Many people around the United States are sharing the food pantries they set up in their community on social media. If you want to set one up of your own, or donate to any local food pantries, ideal food items to donate are non-perishable foods, dry or canned foods, high protein foods and staples like pasta and rice.
These recent times have made it difficult to buy food and especially with SNAP benefits being cut, many families have had their only access to food taken away from them. It’s important to share resources with people who may need them or with people that can support them. Community is incredibly important in times like these, and any impact you make is big.
https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program
https://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-blog/what-donate-food-bank-and-what-avoid
