The Evanston community, like other cities nationwide, is facing severe challenges: from immigration raids to the impact of cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a federal food purchasing program that serves low-income individuals and families.
Food insecurity and unemployment, among other pressing issues, mean that many of our friends, neighbors and family members are now in need of services that were once a promised commodity. The ongoing presence of ICE in and around our community only makes facing these challenges more difficult. This means that it is up to us, the wider community of Evanston, to take it upon ourselves and step into these roles that were once assumed by the federal government.
Community members showed up by the hundreds to support low-income households who had their SNAP benefits disrupted during the government shutdown, turning out at drive-up & drop-off emergency food and mutual aid distributions to help cover the gap. Approximately 42 million Americans rely on SNAP to pay for their groceries, so even a short lapse in benefits left many families scrambling for basic necessities.
To get an insider understanding of the situation, The Evanstonian interviewed someone who was experiencing the SNAP cutoffs firsthand. Emma, who chose to keep her last name anonymous, is unemployed and struggling with the government changes. She said the weekly subsidies had helped her cover “all the stuff that I needed for the house, as far as food.” But when that all changed due to shifts in policy, she said it became difficult providing for her 17-year-old son.
“My unemployment [subsidies] don’t even cover what my rent is every month,” Emma said.
The Illinois Department of Human Services announced on Nov. 13 that they have a plan to restore SNAP benefits, recipients should receive payments by Nov. 20. Still, the lingering impacts and the uncertainty ahead make it clear that we can’t stop supporting our friends, family and neighbors.
“Tangibly losing the SNAP benefits is majorly impactful to a lot of households, and to lose that help and assistance from the government all at once for everybody is massively unsettling,” said Erin Claeys, Community Service Coordinator, one of the lead organizers of the food drive at the high school. “Providing a safe place for people to get food for free right now is the most important thing.”
The first emergency drive-up & drop off food drive took place at the fieldhouse parking lot and led to the donations of tens of thousands of items on Nov. 6. The items collected included groceries, paper products, gift cards, and personal care products, with the help of hundreds of volunteers. The donations were then distributed across the Chicagoland area to places such as the Niles Township food pantry, D65 schools, and community fridges. A second drive-up & drop off donation and distribution event occurred this past Sunday, Nov. 16, with residents showing up when supplies ran low and lines were long.
Though many federal agents have reportedly withdrawn from Chicago, fear about ongoing actions keeps people from leaving their homes to access food and other necessities. Others have lost jobs or are unable to work, leaving them even more vulnerable during this period. Community support remains essential, especially as residents continue to navigate uncertainty and limited resources. Free and reduced lunch programs will continue at schools, including ETHS, which also provides after-school meals, and local organizations such as the Evanston Vineyard Food Pantry and Connections for the Homeless offer regular food pickups, especially as the holidays approach. You can help by getting involved with the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant & Refugee Rights or by volunteering at the Evanston Vineyard Food Pantry on Wednesday nights.
Small acts of kindness matter just as much. Whether it is sharing lunch with a friend, bringing healthy snacks for club meetings, or helping organize a food drive, it makes a difference. Offer a ride to someone who feels vulnerable traveling alone or needs help getting where they’re going. We all need support at times, so be the person who shows up when it matters most.
