$20M emergency funding to go to Illinois food banks as SNAP set to stop

Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, stops Saturday due to the government shutdown. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed an executive order Thursday to help Illinois residents who rely on the aid.

In Illinois, $20 million in emergency government money will go to seven food banks that cover the state.

Pritzker said that 42 million Americans are in jeopardy of losing  lose benefits that includes nearly 2 million in Illinois.

“They have done something insidious the federal government in addition to Donald Trump being willing to turn off SNAP benefits on November 1 when they do have emergency funds available at the Department of Agriculture and they’re choosing not to use,” he said.

Businesses who sell food and cater to low income SNAP recipients will  be affected as well.

Democratic Attorneys General and governors from 25 states including Illinois sued the Trump Administration earlier this week over its decision not to tap emergency funds for SNAP.

WGN’s Patrick Elwood has more.