Tag: snap november

LEMONT, Ill. (WLS) — The usually busy lunch service at The Wooden Paddle could get even busier now that the popular southwest suburb eatery is offering a free pizza to SNAP recipients who have lost their benefits.

“People in your community, absolutely, you never know who’s going through a hard time who’s lost a job and just needs a little extra help during a hard time,” said Wooden Paddle co-founder Jonathan Cowan.

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The restaurant’s owners say the free lunch offer is good at its La Grange location, too, and will continue for all of November. The act of kindness comes as roughly 42 million Americans face the loss of food stamps this weekend.

According to food assistance advocates, SNAP recipients receive, on average, $187 a month on a pre-paid card, and many families rely on those funds as their main source of money for food.

Chicago-area residents think it is important for neighbors to step up and help.

“Definitely community helping community. This is definitely one of those restaurants that’s built on community, so I think it’s really good that they are this with the community,” said restaurant patron Diana Lambiris.

And this week, Manny’s Deli near the South Loop is offering free family meals to SNAP recipients.

Starting Monday, customers who show their Link card will receive a free family meal. The offer is valid just for this week.

Meanwhile, food banks, food pantries, organizations and everyday people are trying to fill the void.

“With uncertainty in the nation, we’re so happy to provide this resource,” said First Samoan Assembly Church Program Director Shanna Sialoi.

While Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed an executive order directing $20 million to food assistance, the Nourishing Hope Food Pantry and the Greater Chicago Food Depository gave food boxes away to those in need.

On Saturday, in the city’s Englewood neighborhood, the Go Green Community Fresh Market gave 100 residents of several city wards $50 grocery vouchers.

“And we wanted to ensure that those who will not be recipients today will still feel the love,” said 16th Ward Ald. Stephanie Coleman.

“We have a responsibility to step up and do what we do to feed families, because people can’t go hungry,” said Christmas in the Wards founder Larry Huggins.

It was done in partnership with the decades old Christmas in the Wards event, which looks to support neighborhoods.

And while a continued stoppage of SNAP payments is not guaranteed after two federal judges ruled that the Trump administration must use contingency funds to pay at least some benefits, some recipients, like Carolyn Johnson, are just grateful to have something.

“We don’t have that much at home to dwell on, because today would be the day that we would go to the grocery store,” Johnson said.

In the Chicagoland area, more than 12% of households receive SNAP benefits, which comes out to more than 450,000 families.

Of those households, more than 40% include someone with a disability, nearly 40% include an elderly person, and more than 45% have a minor.

“It’s what feeds me. And if I don’t have that, I don’t eat,” said SNAP recipient Linda Roles.

President Donald Trump says he has instructed government attorneys to ask the judge “how we can legally fund SNAP as soon as possible.” If the court gives direction, the president says, “it will be my honor to provide the funding.”

Saturday is also the first day of open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act. More than 20 million Americans who get their health insurance through Obamacare will see their premiums skyrocket because of expiring subsidies.

The congressional budget office projects that without those tax credits, 3.8 million people will drop their coverage annually and be uninsured over the next eight years.

“Let’s make sure that we ensure that Americans health insurance premiums don’t go up. We want that, and we’re willing to work with people for it. But they’ve got to reopen the government first,” said Vice President JD Vance.

Democratic lawmakers want those subsidies extended before they agree to end the shutdown.

Former President Barack Obama, who signed the ACA into law, spoke out Saturday at a campaign rally for Virginia’s Democratic candidate for governor.

“Healthcare premiums for millions of people are about to double or even triple next year. Meanwhile, the government is shutdown, and the Republicans who are currently in charge of Congress, they’re not even pretending to solve the problem. They have not even been showing up to work,” Obama said.

Stacy Cox says without subsidies, her Obamacare will more than quadruple to more than $2,100.

“Like, we can’t afford to double what it costs for us to live just to have health insurance,” Cox said.