Chicagoist reports that a temporary boost to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program implemented as part of the 2009 stimulus package expired on Thursday, cutting the national budget for the food stamp program by $45 million. The cuts are expected to affect nearly 47 million Americans, including 22 million children and 2 million Illinois residents.
Reductions will vary depending on the size of a recipient’s family, but a single person receiving the maximum benefit will see $11 less per cycle, and a family of four receiving the maximum will see a drop of $36. While these numbers may seem small, for families surviving on very low incomes it can mean the difference between buying food and paying rent or utility bills.
The cuts are also expected to bring additional demand for services from groups like the Greater Chicago Food Depository, which has already seen a dramatic increase in clients over the past five years.
