Under direction from the federal government, the Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS) will be returning SNAP benefits to pre-pandemic levels. Since April 2020, an emergency SNAP allotment was added to the regular monthly benefits to address the worsening food insecurity challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. DHS recently announced that the extra benefits will be ending in February and will no longer be applied officially by March 1.

The estimates right now are that this return will result in a decrease of the monthly benefits of between $95 to $255 per household. In an effort to try to reduce strain on households, DHS has put together a resource page for constituents who may need assistance in managing this reduction in funds. Furthermore, DHS has said the Department will be working closely with various communities and organizations to develop additional support and resources for families struggling with this reduction.