Last week, the state of Illinois received notice that Republicans in Congress and President Donald Trump planned to continue their reign of terror with a new cruelty – canceling SNAP benefits for over 40 million Americans starting November 1.  Despite emergency funds being available to continue providing SNAP dollars to participants, and despite congressionally approved contingency plans being in place to prevent an interruption to SNAP benefits specifically in the event of a government shutdown, the White House refuses to release those funds.  The timing of this – the month of November, when Americans across the country should be gathering over shared meals to celebrate the holiday season – represents a new low for the depravity of the Trump regime. 

At AIDS Foundation Chicago, we know that the overall stability of a person or family is essential to health and well-being.  There is no more fundamental element of stability than access to food.  This most basic cornerstone of health is being demolished by a billionaire in the White House who has never wanted for anything and is prolonging a government shutdown caused by his desire to take away health care for millions of Americans.  

Food is a human right, plain and simple. Hunger on any level and certainly mass hunger should not exist. It is clear this administration has no care for our health nor for our rights, whether it be denying us SNAP benefits our tax dollars have already paid for, abducting and disappearing our community members, or breaking into our homes to zip tie our children in the middle of the night.  These human rights abuses must stop. 

For many AFC clients living with HIV, SNAP benefits are essential to support their health and stability.  SNAP benefits are primarily received by the elderly, people with disabilities including chronic illnesses like HIV, children, and people and families who are not paid a living wage for their work.  In Illinois, over 1.9 million of our neighbors receive SNAP benefits.  In Cook County, over 920,000 people receive over $181 million in SNAP benefits each month.  Losing SNAP will mean people go hungry, food banks become overwhelmed, grocery stores will suffer, and food manufacturers and farmers will lose money.  The economic toll will destabilize all of us, from urban to rural communities across the state, and will have a devastating impact on the health and well-being of millions of Illinoisans. 

Here’s what we can do: 

  • Take action through the campaign organized through the Greater Chicago Food Depository.   
  • We encourage our clients to reach out to their case managers for assistance during this time.  For the broader community, please see the resources below for help accessing food.
  • If you are not impacted by the SNAP cancelation, we implore you to give generously to your local food banks and mutual aid groups.   
  • AFC is coordinating with our partners to take care of our clients and to fight back against this historic assault on our human rights.   

Together, we are strong, and when we fight, we win.   

Resources for community members impacted by SNAP cuts: 

AIDS Foundation Chicago Communications are not supported by federal funds.