Major changes to the Federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP mean an estimated 120,000 Illinoisans or more are at risk of losing those benefits, formerly known as food stamps.

But the changes aren't just hurting people who use snap to feed themselves and their families.

Some say they're also heard in grocery stores and beyond.

Joining us now are I tell ya, McCarthy?

General manager of the Dill Pickle co-op in Logan Square.

Elizabeth Bruno owner and operator 40 Acres, Fresh Market and Nolen Downey senior director of policy at the Greater Chicago Food Depository.

Thanks to all of you for joining us.

Appreciate it.

you know what I want to I want to come to you first.

How do we SNAP cuts are impacting grocery stores?

Bottom line?

>> Well, so these are the first real we're starting to see as a result of the so-called one big beautiful bill that was passed last summer.

That bill contained 200 billion in cuts to snap another trillion in cuts to health care programs like Medicaid.

And we're now starting to see not only the primary impacts, as you 120,000 people losing benefits just this month, but we're now starting to see some of the secondary consequences not only to businesses but the whole communities and indeed the entire state economy.

Snap brings 4 billion dollars into the state that 4 billion generates another 6.6 billion in economic activity.

This program is a load bearing pillar of society.

And if that weekend we are all feeling.

>> Tell me a little bit about that sort of backed the ripple effect.

We've heard reports that of vendors that that work with grocery stores, for example, that served SNAP beneficiaries.

They're also experiencing the pain.

>> There's no question.

I mean, this program is big enough that it not only provides critical assistance to recipients to supplement their grocery budgets, but it provides critical revenue to grocery stores, which is not exactly a huge margin business.

It also support jobs.

Talk about thousands of jobs across the state and across the country.

So again, this is really something or even if somebody is not on snap the program being weakened to this degree at the federal level is something that we're going to feel both in the grocery sector, the retail sector, but also across the entire state economy.

And tell you what's been your experience.

>> Our experiences we have about 20% of our sales come from SNAP beneficiaries in our grocery store including a lot of our staff are participating in the SNAP program as well.

And we've definitely seen a decline, but result we've also uplifting.

From the community for making sure that where supplementing some of these we're doing a lot mutual aid programs and our store.

We have a grab bag donation where you can buy $10 worth of groceries that go to a food pantry that we also have a lot of our snap beneficiaries educated about where those are at in case they supplemental food.

But like those the types of things that we're seeing in our grocery store.

Get something a little bit more about about some of those and how you're able to sort of implement those programs, you know, and then still allowing folks you know, maintain the dignity.

But also sort of providing and supporting the community.

Yeah.

So we have are Needs-based owner program where anyone who has snapper has some type of hardship in their life.

They can apply and be coming on or you get 10% off all of your groceries when and also we have weak match program.

That provided by the state where you can get up to $10 worth of link backs dollars when you use their snap card at the store to purchase fresh produce.

And that's all free.

A grant money that we received, they can participate as well.

And you have those things have been working really well.

We've seen an uptick people signing up for that program and that that's been helping a lot, I think in our community.

Liz, tell me a little bit about 40 acres.

You all haven't quite started to see the impact just yet.

>> I think that when you're in your first year of operation, you're just trying to figure out what your trends are and what your patterns are.

One month snap could make up 10% of our revenue the next month that could make up 15.

And so what you're looking for is a 12 month average and we've only been open for 8 months.

So it's really hard to get your bearings when the ground beneath you keeps shifting every 2 to 6 months.

>> Okay.

And also bringing got a new player joining the band were also now joined by militant Winston senior director of Living Fresh Market in Forest Park.

Melody, tell us about how SNAP cuts, how they're impacting the bottom line.

There.

>> Well, there impacting us in a few different ways.

Not just the 15% of the sales that we see daily.

>> From most snap recipients.

But also our vendors who are first time on the shelf in a grocery store and they're saying maybe less purchases made for them.

So that's less money that they could to take home to their families.

So it's a ripple effect that call it.

>> What are some of the different steps that you taken to sort of sustained local, independent grocers or how what is in the different steps you've taken?

Well, know, we have to get lean sometimes.

And that's just a part of business everywhere.

man, a few girl, sir, you know, years selling shoes or whatever the case may be.

But you lean in a few different ways and one might be the hours that your employees work a day anyone across chainmail and you know that the cashier might start going and helping in floral learn.

You know, it's because some shifts that you have to make a I call it a pivot because it doesn't have to be necessarily a negative thing, but it can positively impact the business so that you continues to thrive through these times.

Right?

And of course, you I tell you, we just heard from you about some of the ways the different ways that the co-op is able to support people and help them still get access to food.

But Nolan, give us a sense of, you know what it takes to sort of make up the difference.

And if it can be made up, I mean, I I first and foremost, just want to applaud all the efforts of everybody because I think it's incredibly heartening in this moment to see retailers stepping up land to be stepping up.

>> What we've got to be clear, this is not going to be enough in this moment.

part of the reason why we're really asking for the partnership of State government if the federal government is going to be abdicating its responsibility to provide for people's basic needs, what can we do at the state level?

It's part of why food depository we're convening the Save.

Our Snap Coalition a coalition of as of today over 100 organizations that our statewide working too at advocate for policies at the state level that can make a real impact for people.

Now, couple of those being emergency assistance for people that have lost now another being expanding existing state programs to bring in some of the populations that have lost access to these critical benefits.

These are steps that we can take now that they can afford.

And we must take 100 go and check in all of the estimated at 120,000 people could stand to lose their snap benefits, including 16,000 immigrants and refugees who have legal protected status.

>> If that is the case, if these folks, you know, start sort of, you know, falling off the rolls or the in eligible to reapply for benefits.

What what options do they have?

So those 16,000 humanitarian immigrants, they are going to be ineligible in a way that is ongoing part of the reason why some of that expansion of programs to bring some of those folks in at the state level is critical not to population that's very vulnerable and really needs that assistance.

Now, as for those 120,000 people that lost because of expanded work requirements, there can be a path back to the program.

And so what we really encourage people to deal first and foremost, find out if you're exempt.

Many, many people should be exempt from the work requirements.

There's a screening tool in the state's website that people can go and access to see if they need exemption.

If they do get that information to the Department of Human Services right now.

But I think we have to recognize not everybody's going to exemption.

20,000 people.

Surely some of them have lost access to benefits in a way ongoing.

So what can we do for those people who now are in crisis?

details about some of the programs and events that your store has has created laid out to help people still gain access to food while maintaining their dignity.

Absolutely.

Absolutely.

We've started the 62nd shopping spree.

>> And it turned out to be a bit of an amazing event that we have that where community can sponsor and donate for these.

>> Shopping sprees and we can have people who come in want some up on the last Saturday of every month and they come and shop.

They get a raffle ticket.

They sign a far fresher was program and then they're off to the races.

So it's really a great time to see how people can get food on their tables and then they up sharing with their family and other household.

So it being a good thing on all sides.

It's a win-win, but also this weekend, we have the good neighbor Day at living fresh markets for his part, we asked people to come out and do something good for neighbors.

So we'll be giving away 500 bags of groceries to people who comment and feeding and clothes those sorts of things.

I tell you, why is it, you know, important for people to be able to receive food assistance without shame.

>> It's really it's extremely important because food should be accessible to I mean, that's our motto at the co-op for sure.

And I I think it's important as all of us humans to to be humanitarian.

That's another.

You know, that's what makes us a great community.

And I think Chicago has really stood up, you know, as far as what's been going on in the world right now.

I think.

doing really good job at And it's really fun to see all the things that always what you're doing at the food depository.

What you guys are doing, your markets really important stuff.

We're doing.

some of the other challenges that you experience with running a grocery she last got So I think that has a brand new grocery store.

One of the things that you're always competing against is and that's >> people.

It's easier for people always do what they've always done to store.

They always go to so bringing that awareness and attention that you are there drawing people in learning how to operate a store when you've never done it before.

But the pressures of grocery are labor is it's an expense Lot of things you have to pay cash on delivery.

So just keeping your stuff your shelves stocked.

Spoilage, you're constantly chasing dates calling and making sure that your Your shelves are fresh.

So it's it's a constant business.

I don't sleep.

I don't know when the last time I had a good night's sleep just yeah, it's it's hard.

And you don't know when it's going to turn around try things and sometimes like you have to wait and wait and wait to see those results but you just try to get better every single day.

Certainly not for the faint of heart.

There is a new bill being introduced in the state called the Fresh Act stands for Families Receiving emergency support for hunger.

>> That if passed, it would provide one-time $600 payments to those who lose eligibility for snap.

No, we've got about 30 seconds left left.

Is this, you know, just the first step?

What else would ease the burden?

This is the first step.

But this is one of these interventions that we can afford that would make a real difference for people.

Now, again, the federal government has created this situation.

But at the state level, we have a responsibility to do what we can first test to step up for people.

>> And I think this moment just listening to folks are on the table.

All the hardship is created by this.

This can be a very dark time for communities or this could be our finest hours.

The state we need to step up and we need to do it Do you know the bill status likelihood passage?

Well, listen, I mean, anything that costs money in the state is an uphill climb.

But I'll tell you the state's going to spend money on something this year.

I find it hard to find a priority that's more important than feeding people were just locks access to critical systems.

right.

We'll have to leave it there.

Thanks to all of you for the work that you