Rockford-area food pantries, nonprofits brace for loss of SNAP benefits

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — The number of residents lining up for help from local food pantries has already been on the rise this year. Tabatha Endres-Cruz is afraid of what will happen next.

The CEO of the Rock River Valley Pantry said they’ve seen a steady increase month-over-month in people served so far this year. She expects those numbers will further grow once benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program halt on Saturday amid the federal government shutdown.

“Last week, I can’t even begin to tell you what that increase became,” Endres-Cruz said Monday during a news conference to draw attention to the ramifications of halting SNAP benefits, formerly known as food stamps. “We saw over 200-plus households walk through our doors on Thursday, and then another 200 came through on Friday. …

“At our secondary location in the Crusader Clinic on Broadway, at the end of the day we had one bag of food left after being open for two hours.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the SNAP program that provides low-income families with benefits to purchase groceries, has said no benefits will be issued after Nov. 1.

The program serves 42 million people across the country, including approximately 70,000 in Winnebago County, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. The nine pantries that make up the Greater Rockford Pantry Coalition now serve more than 25,000 people a month.

“Our situation was dire without the loss of SNAP,” said Pam Clark Reidenbach, president and CEO of the Northern Illinois Center for Nonprofit Excellence. “Now add the elimination of SNAP benefits relied on by thousands to feed families and the elderly and we’re in a crisis.”

She said it isn’t just a crisis for recipients, but one that will ripple through the local economy.

“This is a crisis for local food pantries that will see a significant uptick in customers as they help meet those basic needs and also for retailers who benefit from SNAP food purchases,” Reidenbach said. “Without access to food the health and nutrition of thousands of people in our community will be jeopardized. A flood of new customers will overwhelm local food pantries and grocery store revenue will suffer, creating a negative economic impact on our community.”

Domonique Bannister, a mother of three who lives in Champion Park homes in Winnebago County, said she relies on SNAP benefits to feed her children and isn’t sure how she’ll make up for the loss.

“It’s going to put a very big strain on my grocery situation and feeding my children,” she said. “They’re going to rely heavily on their school lunch, a snack when they get home, and I’m going to be basically just stretching to make sure that they have a way to eat.”

Bannister, who said she requires insulin for Type 2 diabetes, said families will be forced to make difficult choices on other necessities such as gas, electricity, rent and medications.

“Without the SNAP benefits coming in the future, they’re going to have to choose and it’s going to be really, really hard for a lot of families to just simply make it,” she said.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture posted a notice on its website laying the blame for the government shutdown on Democrats.

“Bottom line, the well has run dry,” the notice on the website reads. “We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats. They can continue to hold out for health care for illegal aliens and gender mutilation procedures or reopen the government so mothers, babies, and the most vulnerable among us can receive critical nutrition assistance.”

U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen and other House Democrats sent a letter to the director of the USDA urging the agency to use reserve funds to pay for benefits in November.

“USDA still has significant funding available in SNAP’s contingency reserve – which Congress provides precisely for this reason – that can be used to fund the bulk of November benefits,” the letter reads.

“Families shouldn’t be suffering because of political games in Washington. There is absolutely no reason for SNAP benefits to be paused during a government shutdown when there is plenty of available funding,” Sorensen said in a statement.

Endres-Cruz said one positive is that they’re already seeing an uptick in donations from people who are trying to cover the gap.

“Keep fighting. Keep the word out there,” she said. “Our community needs us. The hungry in our community need us.”

Rockford Alderman Tamir Bell said Rockford’s Food Insecurity Task Force is working with the nonprofit Farmers Rising on bringing a mobile food grocery to the community. He said the City Council approved a framework in June designed to reduce food insecurity and improve access to healthy and affordable food. “Now it’s time to use it,” he said.

Yolanda Ferguson, part of the Food Insecurity Task Force, said you can help by donating to local food pantries, volunteering your time or contributing to food drives. She said community gardens, pop-up markets and shareable food networks will also be vital amid the increase in need.

“This is our call to action,” she said. “We cannot wait for the system to catch up. We have to get our boots on the ground and start now. …

“We are strongest when we are connected. The effort to feed our community is not charity alone, it’s mutual care. You never know, it might be your next-door neighbor.”

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas