Campaigns
Advocacy is an essential part of the IHC's efforts to #endhungernow. Read below about some of the IHC's advocacy campaigns.
Farm Bill 2018
IHC's grassroots advocacy was successful in preventing harmful provisions cutting SNAP in the final version of the 2018 Farm Bill, a bipartisan bill passed and signed by the president in December. Read the IHC press release here.
College Hunger Bill
The IHC was an essential part of advocacy surrounding the College Hunger Bill in Illinois, which passed both houses in the Illinois General Assembly and was signed by Governor Rauner in July 2018.
The College Hunger Bill expanded SNAP eligibility for over 40,000 community college students in Illinois. For more information, go to the IHC Resources page.
ABAWD Time Limits and SNAP Employment & Training
In part due to the IHC's successful advocacy efforts, Illinois again applied and was approved for the Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents federal time limit waiver for the entire state except DuPage County for 2019.
The federal government has proposed a rule change that would limit the ability of states to apply for waivers in the future, which would devastate the more than 416,000 ABAWDs currently living in Illinois. Read the IHC's press release here.
ABAWD Resources:
- SNAP ABAWD Time Limit in Illinois
- ABAWD Checklist for Social Service Providers
Fight for 15
As a leading cause of hunger is low wage work, IHC members continue to organize for the Fight for Fifteen campaign with SEIU and other labor and community partners. The campaign seeks to ensure that working people are making living wages in order to end hunger.
205 W. Monroe
Suite #310
Chicago, IL 60606
Monday - Friday: 9am - 5pm
info@ilhunger.org
Office: (312)-629-9580
Office: 1(800) 359-2163
Fax: (312) 629-3514
*Please note we do not have walk in services*
Illinois hunger coalition
Universal School Meals Program Act of 2021 (S. 1530/H.R. 3115)
IHC is an active advocate on behalf of Illinois citizens in passing the Universal School Meals Program Act of 2021. This federal bill amends the Child Nutrition Act of 1996 and the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to provide breakfast and lunch to all k-12 age children. This federal program will eliminate the need for individual families to fill out the applications for the Free/Reduced Meals Program.
IHC recognizes that the most effective manner of feeding hungry children is to feed all children.
Farm Bill 2018
IHC's grassroots advocacy was successful in preventing harmful provisions cutting SNAP in the final version of the 2018 Farm Bill, a bipartisan bill passed and signed by the president in December. Read the IHC press release here.
Build Back Better Act:
Child Nutrition Investments
The $10 billion provisions will link 9 million more children to free school meals and provide 29 million low-income children with nutrition benefits through the Summer EBT program. These provisions will expand the number of schools that would be able to offer free meals to all students through the Community Eligibility Provision and allow states to implement community eligibility statewide and provide $500 million for school kitchen equipment grants and $634 million for a Healthy School Meal Incentives demonstration project to support nutrition quality.
IHC works to advocate on behalf of Illinois citizens to maintain these provisions.
Permanent SNAP Improvements
Close the Meal Gap Act H.R. 4077/S 2192 focuses on rooting SNAP benefits in a more adequate food market basket and ease impossible choices families with children are forced to make between paying for food and shelter and that older Americans and people with disabilities must make between paying for food and medicine.
Improving Access to Nutrition, H.R. 1753 eliminates the arbitrary 3-month time limit. It would provide nutrition assistance to more people struggling with unemployment or underemployment, and promote racial and health equity.
Enhanced Access to SNAP Act, H.R. 1919 /S 2515 addresses the inequitable college student SNAP rules related to work-study and outside employment. It would permanently improve SNAP access to low-income college students who are otherwise eligible for benefits.
Together these crucial pieces of legislation will work to ensure more Americans receive necessary SNAP benefits.
