50,000 Cook County food stamp recipients must find jobs in 2020 or risk losing benefits

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Starting next year, around 50,000 food stamp recipients in Cook County will need to find jobs or risk losing their benefits.

The Chicago Tribune reports that beginning on January 1, 2020, food stamp recipients who are under the age of 50 and able-bodied – and also not living with children or other dependents – will be limited to three months of food assistance in a three-year period unless they were work at least 80 hours a month.

The reason for the change is because of the strong economy and low unemployment rate in Cook County, which is too low to qualify for waivers from the federal government, according to the Tribune.

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There are 1.8 million recipients in Illinois’ food stamp program, known as SNAP.

READ MORE @ THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE