Illinois gives $400 one-time payment to thousands who lost SNAP benefits

CHICAGO - Starting on Saturday, thousands of Illinois residents who were no longer eligible to receive benefits via the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) were going to receive one-time $400 payments.

About 100,000 residents will receive the payment starting on Saturday, according to Gov. JB Pritzker’s office.

What we know:

State lawmakers approved $70 million for the Families Receiving Emergency Support for Hunger (FRESH) program as part of the fiscal year 2027 budget. Additional eligible residents can receive the benefit until the funds are gone.

State officials pointed to rule changes for SNAP eligibility in President Trump’s budget bill last year, resulting in nearly 150,000 Illinois residents losing their benefits.

"At a time when the cost of groceries, gas, and utilities are all rising, Donald Trump and Republicans decided to strip food assistance from nearly 100,000 people," said Gov. JB Pritzker, in a statement. "In Illinois, we passed the FRESH program to help provide some relief for families kicked off food assistance, but no state can backfill the cruel and imminent cuts set in motion by Trump’s budget bill."

How to get a FRESH payment

Dig deeper:

Here are directions from the state for those seeking to receive their one-time payment through the FRESH program.

There is no paperwork or application required to receive the FRESH benefit payment.
Eligible households have one or more members who lost benefits and did not regain eligibility, due to neither meeting nor being exempt from new, broadened work requirements.
A notice will be mailed to eligible households who will receive these benefits.Note: If a customer receives a notice of eligibility but no longer has their Link card, they can request a new one by visiting www.EBTedge.com or calling 1-800-678-LINK (5465).
Note: If a customer receives a notice of eligibility but no longer has their Link card, they can request a new one by visiting www.EBTedge.com or calling 1-800-678-LINK (5465).
Individuals are eligible to receive a FRESH benefit one time.
For eligible households who lost benefits after May 1, 2026, but before August 1, benefits will begin being deposited as a cash payment on Illinois Link cards by August 1, 2026.
Starting in August 2026 through June 2027 or until funding has been exhausted, households with eligible members will be issued FRESH benefits after the 16th of the month in which they lost access to SNAP.
Receiving a FRESH program payment will not impact eligibility for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), AABD Cash, Medicaid, or other similar benefit programs.