April & May 2020: What You Need to Know

The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) is issuing emergency SNAP (LINK) supplements to more than 450,000 SNAP households to help buy food during the pandemic crisis. Congress approved special SNAP supplemental benefits in response to the COVID-19 pandemic under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. 

Will I Get Extra SNAP Benefits?

If your monthly SNAP benefit is less than the maximum SNAP for your household, you will get a supplemental benefit up to the maximum SNAP grant for April and May 2020. If you already get the maximum SNAP benefit, you will not receive additional SNAP benefits.

Household size	Max. SNAP
1	$194
2	$355
3	$509
4	$646
5	$768
6	$921
7	$1,018
8	$1,164
9	$1,310
10	$1,456
Each add’l member	+$146

 

Examples
Supplement	No Supplement
Family A gets $200/mo in SNAP for one adult and 2 kids. This family will get a SNAP supplement of $309 – boosting SNAP to $509 (max for 3).	Family B gets $509/mo in SNAP for one adult and 2 kids. This family will NOT get any extra SNAP, because they already get the max for 3.
Individual A gets $16/mo in SNAP. This individual will get a supplement of $178 – boosting SNAP to $194 (max for 1).	Individual B gets $194/mo in SNAP. This individual will NOT get any extra SNAP, because they already get the max for 1.

 

If I Qualify For Extra SNAP, When Will I Get It?

• April 2020 emergency allotments will be made available to active SNAP households between April 8^th and April 20^th, 2020.
• May 2020 emergency allotments will be made available to active SNAP households on the date they normally receive benefits.

How Do I Learn How Much I Get In SNAP and If I Get Extra SNAP?

• SNAP households will not be sent a client notice to inform them of the supplements. Check your balance and your monthly SNAP benefit amount by calling the Illinois Link Help Line at 1-800-678-LINK (5465).

What If I Need Help Food Shopping?

Any member of your household can use the SNAP LINK card to food shop. Their name or picture does NOT need to be on the card. You can also give your LINK card and PIN temporarily to a trusted friend or relative to food shop for you. 

What If I Do Not Get SNAP?

New applications received during April or May 2020 will also receive a supplemental emergency SNAP allotment, if their approved, regular benefit amount is less than the maximum monthly SNAP allotment for the household size.

To apply:

• To apply for or renew food, cash and/or medical assistance, please visit Illinois.gov or call the IDHS Help is Here toll-free line at 1-833-2-FIND-HELP.
• Due to the pandemic, most public aid office locations are closed. If you must go to a local office to apply for benefits, you can find a map with open locations on the DHS website: http://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=123570.
• If you need assistance in filling out an application for SNAP or medical assistance call the Greater Chicago Food Depository at 773-843-5416.

 

What If I Need Meals For My School Age Children?

While schools are closed, Chicago Public School (CPS) are providing free meals for children.

• Beginning April 6^th and during the district’s scheduled spring break, food distribution sites will be consolidated to 136 locations across the city from Monday–Thursday, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. A detailed list of spring break meal sites is available here. Families may receive food from their neighborhood school even if their child(ren) are enrolled in another CPS school.
• Beginning April 13^th, the district will launch a consolidated meal plan under which 276 schools that were most frequented by families will continue to provide free meals.

For the full list of meal sites and if you have any questions, visit cps.edu/mealsites or call 773-553-KIDS.

 

What Other Resources Can Help Me?

• For help with emergency food resources in your community visit the Greater Chicago Food Depository’s food locator https://www.chicagosfoodbank.org/find-food/. We recommend calling before you goto confirm program hours and requirements.

 

This resource was created in partnership with: