PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — Millions of Americans may soon lose food assistance program benefits as the reconciliation bill moves through Congress, while local food pantries are already seeing a lot of new faces.
The reconciliation bill proposed $300 billion in cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides food benefits to low-income families.
“When there are things on the chopping block and funds are getting cut, we see an increase in demand in people that we have never seen before or are not the regulars,” said Julie Bonar, president and CEO of Neighborhood House in Peoria.
Bonar said the demand at their bimonthly food pantry has doubled in recent weeks. She said seniors and people with disabilities will be hurt most by the cuts.
“Oftentimes, we’ll see individuals who have never been to a food pantry before because it really is not something they’ve had to utilize. But with losing those benefits, they still have to feed themselves or their families,” she said. “The first time someone ever comes to a food pantry, it often can be very overwhelming because they’re not used to having to come and ask for assistance.”
Nearly one in four people in Peoria County (23% of the population) depend on SNAP benefits. That’s higher than the state average of 16%, according to the Illinois Department of Human Services.
The reconciliation bill increases the SNAP work requirement age from 54 to 64 for able-bodied people with kids. It also shifts the direct cost of food benefits to the states. That means Illinois will have to pick up the tab for everyone who remains in the program.
“I think that there’s a lot of uncertainty, a lot of unknown and a lot of fear. And that is, I think, how all of us are feeling right now with all of the different changes that are happening so rapid fire and changing constantly,” said Bonar.
Neighborhood House relies on Midwest Food Bank and private donations to stock its pantry shelves. If you’d like to help, click here. The pantry is the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month from 10 a.m. to noon.
