‘No one should go hungry’: Roscoe woman feeds 100 people as SNAP benefits are reduced

ROSCOE, Ill. (WTVO) — Erica Esselman, a Roscoe resident, is ensuring no one in her community goes hungry amid ongoing uncertainty surrounding SNAP benefits.

Esselman, who opened a healthy meal prep business called “Worth It Wellness With Erica” about a year ago, is using her business to provide home-cooked meals to families in need. Initially, her goal was to donate meals to four families each week, but thanks to community donations, she will be able to feed 100 people this week.

“I remember being in third grade and having, like, two pairs of pants, getting the free hot lunches at school, and getting food stamps,” Esselman said. “And I know that losing the food stamp benefits would have really affected us when I was a little girl. And so that just made my heart go out to all these families.”

One of Esselman’s team members, Kassandra Worden, shared the impact of working with her, stating, “I align pretty heavily with Erica’s views on putting kindness into the universe. No one should have to fear if they can eat tomorrow. No one should have to fear if they can eat tonight.”

Esselman and her team plan to continue preparing meals as long as SNAP benefits are reduced and the community continues to support their efforts. Contributions can be made by contacting “Worth It Wellness With Erica” on Facebook.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by WTVO. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by WTVO staff before being published.