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SNAP Benefits Are Expiring! Here’s How to Get Help and Give Help.

Beginning on November 1st, the Trump administration’s cruel and drastic cuts to SNAP benefits begin. The $200 billion cuts to SNAP benefits will impact an estimated 360,000 families in Illinois and drastically increase food insecurity in our city.

Governor Pritzker is set to sign an executive order directing $20 million in state funds to food banks this week. Here’s where families impacted by these cuts can find help:

Food Banks in the 40th Ward

Nourishing Hope

Nourishing Hope will distribute 300–500 boxes of shelf-stable food for individuals and families who did not have SNAP benefits replenished. Each family will receive one box. They will continue this weekly distribution until the SNAP program is funded.

 Nourishing Hope also offers home delivery to anyone in their service area (North of North Avenue, South of Devon Avenue, East of Western Avenue). See the Nourishing Hope website for more details.

Friendship Center

  • Address: 2711 W Lawrence Ave
  • Distribution Hours:
    • Monday, Thursday, Friday: 12PM-4PM
    • Tuesday: 3PM-7PM
  • Contact: info@friendshipcenterchicago.org or 773-907-6388

In addition to grocery distribution, hot meals are served on Thursdays from 6PM-8PM.

The Friendship Center offers an assortment of groceries — including fresh fruits and vegetables, meat and fish, dairy items, bread and other staples — four days a week. Any resident of Cook County is welcome to use the pantry, and no paperwork is required. First-time visitors will provide their information to our check-in volunteer and be issued a Greater Chicago Food Depository (GCFD) card that can be used to check in at future visits. Households are limited to two visits per month.

Residents living within their 10 mile service area (between Touhy Ave, Ravenswood Ave, Montrose Ave, and Pulaski Ave), that have mobility barriers, health concerns, or other personal circumstances, are welcome to apply for their home delivery program (see the Friendship Center website for more details), which is currently waitlisted. Home delivery recipients receive groceries twice a month.

All Saints Ravenswood

  • Address: 4550 N Hermitage Ave
  • Distribution Hours: Tuesday from 5:30-7:30pm

Groceries including fresh produce, meat, bread, canned goods, and milk are available every Tuesday from 5:30-7:30pm at 4550 N Hermitage Ave. Individual hot meals are available to-go starting at 5:30pm while supplies last. The RCS Dining hall is open from 6-7pm for neighbors in need of a place to eat.

Care for Real

  • Edgewater Location: 5840 N Broadway
    • Distribution Hours: Mondays, 4-6pm, Wednesdays, 9am-12pm, Saturday, 9am-1pm
  • Rogers Park Location: 1545 W Morse
    • Distribution Hours: Thursdays, 3-6pm
  • Contact: info@careforreal.org or 773.769.6182

Care for Real distributes free, fresh, nutritious food to neighbors in need four days a week through locations in Edgewater and Rogers Park. Chicago residents living in 60640, 60645, 60660, 60659, and 60626 zip codes in need of food assistance are welcome to visit one Care for Real pantry once per week. First time visitors will be asked to bring photo ID and address verification (e.g. current lease, utility bill, or ID that was issued in the last year).

For other resources, visit the Chicago Food Bank website to search for a food pantry near you!

How to Help

Our neighbors need your help! If you are not impacted by these cuts, there are a number of ways you can help. See below for pantries that are open for donations:

  • Friendship Center (2711 W Lawrence Ave):
    • Donations of food and other necessities can be dropped off on any weekday from 10AM-4PM
    • Apply to Volunteer
  • Nourishing Hope (5151 N Ravenswood Ave ):
    • Donations of food and other necessities can be dropped off at the following times
      • Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday: 10am– 4pm
      • Tuesday: 10am – 2pm
      • Saturday: 11am – 2:30pm
    • Apply to Volunteer
  • Care for Real (5840 N Broadway):
    • Donations of food and other necessities can be dropped off at the main entrance Sunday through Friday, 1-3pm
    • Apply to Volunteer

Please note that while food donations are appreciated (and you can click the links above to see what specific items are most helpful for each food pantry), the best thing you can donate is money! There are often gaps in what foods are donated that food pantries must then fill with their own funds (for example, while they may get a lot of donations of shelf-stable products like peanut butter and jelly, bread is less shelf-stable, and therefore food pantries often buy it week to week). We encourage you to donate with your money, time, and/or specific items however you’re able!

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