Tag: food security

Replacing Food Destroyed Due to Recent Wind Storms

If food you bought using SNAP was destroyed due to the recent wind storms, you can receive additional SNAP benefits.

The SNAP Program allows for additional SNAP benefits when food bought with SNAP benefits is destroyed in a disaster.

  • A disaster is a fire, flood, tornado, or other devastating event beyond the control of the unit.
  • Additionally, food can be replaced due to a power outage of at least 4 hours.
  • More details: PM 22-03-01

COMED is reporting that 127,00 customers experienced outages because of extreme weather with hurricane-force winds, in excess of 90 miles per hour, that resulted in severe damage across the Northern Illinois service territory.

SNAP recipients who lost food because of the recent wind storm power outages should complete, sign, and submit a Request for Replacement of Destroyed Food form.

  • Most Department of Human Services Family Community Resource Centers (FCRC) are closed.
  • The best way to submit this form is by email to the SNAP recipient’s local FCRC.
    • Click the links below to download the form in English and Spanish.
    • You can find your nearest FCRC using the table below.
  • A request for replacement SNAP must be submitted within 10 calendar days of the power outage
    • In the case of the recent wind storms, that would be AUGUST 20, 2020.
Replacement of Destroyed Food Form – EnglishDownload
Replacement of Destroyed Food Form – SpanishDownload

Cook County Family Community Resource Center Email Addresses:

FCRC #FCRC NeighborhoodFCRC Email Address
203Mid Southdhs.midsouthfcrc@illinois.gov
208Englewooddhs.englewoodfcrc@illinois.gov
212Woodlawndhs.woodlawnfcrc@illinois.gov
213Calumet Parkdhs.calumetpark@illinois.gov
218Southeastdhs.southeastfcrc@illinois.gov
226South Suburbandhs.southsuburbanfcrc@illinois.gov
236Roselanddhs.roselandfcrc@illinois.gov
201Ogdendhs.ogden@illinois.gov
202South Loopdhs.southloopfcrc@illinois.gov
204Northsidedhs.northsidefcrc@illinois.gov
209Special Unitsdhs.specialunitsfcrc@illinois.gov
228Lower Northdhs.lowernorthfcrc@illinois.gov
229West Suburbandhs.westsuburbanfcrc@illinois.gov
231Humboldt Parkdhs.humboldtparkfcrc@illinois.gov
233Northerndhs.northernfcrc@illinois.gov
237Northwestdhs.northwest.fcrc@illinois.gov
243North Suburbandhs.northsubfcrc@illinois.gov

Apply for Growing Home’s Paid Production Assistant Job Training Program

Apply by August 21st to join Growing Home’s paid Production Assistant job training program.

Growing Home’s urban organic farm is once again hiring for its Production Assistant job training program.

Based in Englewood, Growing Home is Chicago’s leading expert in farm-based training for people with employment barriers.

Growing Home knows that when people have jobs, they have financial stability in their lives. Financial stability helps people eat healthy and live a healthy lifestyle.

Also, when communities have access to healthy food options, the overall well-being and health of the community improves.

Production assistant job description
Growing home recruitment flyer
Apply now

Job Training Program Highlights

Growing Home’s paid Production Assistant job training program combines time spent working on the on-site urban farm with lessons on work readiness and environmental literacy, an emotional resilience curriculum, and ongoing support for career success post-graduation.

  • Applicants who are accepted begin with a job training program that pays $16/hour for 16-20 hours per week.
  • The job training program will be via remote learning due to COVID-19.
  • Applicants must be 18 years or older, unemployed, and Chicago residents.
  • Participants are meant to transition into permanent, full-time employment after graduation.

Program participants also have opportunities to earn professional certifications, gain access to free legal consultation for record sealing and expungement, and receive the support of a case manager available to provide referrals for supportive services.

COVID-19 Considerations

Growing Home will continue to facilitate the 2020 program as a blended virtual and in-person curriculum.

  • Farm-based portions of the program will still be held on-site with heightened health and safety measures.
  • All traditionally classroom-based lessons will be facilitated virtually over Zoom.

Attached to this email is an updated Production Assistant Job Description that provides more detail on exactly what the blended on-site/remote job training program will look like.

Applying

Application Deadline for Cohort 3: August 21st, 2020

The application process will be run entirely remotely. It is outlined at the end of the Job Description flyer.

If you have any questions about the remote application process or the program, you can reach out to Amelia Nawn, Growing Home’s Program Operations Coordinator, at anawn@growinghomeinc.org. 

See this link for more details and check out the flyers below!

Apply now
Production assistant job description
Growing home recruitment flyer

Emergency Rental and Mortgage Assistance from Illinois Housing Development Authority

The Illinois Housing Development Authority is offering emergency rental and mortgage assistance to help Illinois residents during COVID-19.

The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) will soon be offering emergency rental and mortgage assistance to help Illinois residents during COVID-19.

The Illinois General Assembly has dedicated $396 million in Coronavirus Relief Funding to IHDA to fund affordable housing grants for emergency rental assistance and emergency mortgage assistance.

When to Apply:

  • IHDA will accept Emergency Rental Assistance Program applications August 10 through August 21.
  • IHDA will accept Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program applications August 24 through September 4.

Please see below for more information, videos, and printable flyers on IHDA’s Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) and Emergency Mortgage Assistance (EMA) Programs.

Contents

Click a link below to quickly go to a specific section!

  1. Emergency Rental Assistance Program
  2. Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program
  3. ERA and EMA Background

Emergency Rental Assistance Program

Summary

The Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) program will give $5,000 to renters impacted by COVID-19 for back rent and prepay through 2020.

  • IHDA will accept Emergency Rental Assistance Program applications August 10 through August 21.
  • You must have an unpaid rent balance that began on or after March 1, 2020 due to loss of income related to COVID-19 pandemic.

For more information, please see the video links and flyers below or go to https://era.ihda.org/.

To apply, please click the button below.

More Information + Apply

Return to Table of Contents

Videos

Emergency Rental Assistance Video

Programa de Asistencia de Renta Video

Return to Table of Contents

Flyers

Emergency Rental Assistance Eligibility [English/Spanish]Download
Emergency Rental Assistance FAQ [English]Download
Programa de Asistencia de Renta FAQ [Spanish]Download
How to Apply/
Cómo Aplicar [English/Spanish]Download

Emergency Mortgage Assistance

Summary

The Emergency Mortgage Assistance (EMA) program will provide homeowners impacted by COVID-19 up to $15,000 to reinstate their mortgage and prepay through 2020.

  • IHDA will accept Emergency Mortgage Assistance applications August 24 through September 4.
  • You must have a past due balance or a forbearance balance that began sometime on or after March 1, 2020 due to loss of income related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

For more information, please see the videos and flyers below or go to https://ema.ihda.org/.

To apply, click the button below.

More information + Apply

Return to Table of Contents

Videos

Emergency Mortgage Assistance Video

Asistencia Hipotecaria de Emergencia Vídeo

Return to Table of Contents

Flyers

Emergency Mortgage Assistance Eligibility [English/Spanish]Download
Emergency Mortgage Assistance FAQ [English]Download

Return to Table of Contents

ERA and EMA Program Background

IHDA Emergency Housing Assistance Program BackgroundDownload

Important P-EBT and SNAP Updates: Apply for P-EBT Today!

Illinois households can now apply for P-EBT financial assistance until 8/31! (Plus important SNAP updates)

Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) Extended to 8/31

Does your family have school aged children? If so, you can still apply for Pandemic EBT (P-EBT), which will provide you with financial assistance!

  • The deadline to apply for P-EBT has recently been extended to August 31st.
  • P-EBT provides financial assistance to families with school aged children.
    • Families receive an EBT card that can be used offset the cost of meals that would have been consumed at school.
    • P-EBT provides the value of school meals at the rate of $5.70 per child per school day.
  • Please download the P-EBT Guide below and share with community members who may be eligible for P-EBT.
P-EBT Guide for IllinoisDownload

Community Organizations: Are you interested in receiving training on P-EBT outreach and how to talk to immigrant families about P-EBT? Do you have P-EBT questions your clients keep asking? If so, reach out to pif@povertylaw.org for free training.

SNAP Recertification Extension

Did you recently receive a SNAP Recertification Letter from the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS)? If so, please read on!

  • Illinois households that were scheduled to have their SNAP recertification in July and August 2020 will automatically have their SNAP certification period extended 6 months.
    • If you were going to be recertified in July, your recertification will be extended to January 2021.
    • If you were going to be recertified in August, your recertification will be pushed back to February 2021.
  • Unfortunately, IDHS already sent some recertification letters out.
  • Your benefits will not expire if you received a recertification letter for July or August 2020.

Maximum SNAP Benefits

  • All Illinois households receiving SNAP benefits will receive the maximum SNAP benefit for July and August.

IDHS Offices Reopening

The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) is starting to reopen local offices to client services.

However, IDHS still urges clients to use phone and online options to get help whenever possible.

Authorized community organizations are continuing to help households apply for SNAP over the phone.

For information on how to apply for SNAP online or over the phone, check out our blog post.

Lawndale Cares: Helpline and Financial Support

Lawndale Cares helping residents in Lawndale and surrounding neighborhoods find resources and meet their needs.

Lawndale resident sews masks at Stone Temple Missionary Baptist Church.
Picture Credit: Pidgeon Pagonis

The newly created Lawndale Cares Virtual Helpline is now helping residents in Lawndale and surrounding neighborhoods find local resources and meet basic needs.

  • The helpline is available to North Lawndale residents and those in nearby communities, including Little Village.
  • Residents can request help online by…
  • Residents can also call the helpline at 800-655-1626.
    • Volunteers and helpline staff are available 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday for immediate assistance.

Additionally, the Lawndale Cares mutual aid network has created The Compassion Fund for North Lawndale residents to get help paying for food, child care, transportation assistance and housing.

Check out this Block Club Chicago article for more details about these awesome grassroots resources.

Unemployment Benefits Expiring? Apply for SNAP

If your Pandemic Unemployment Compensation is expiring soon, you should consider applying for SNAP.

Click the infographics above to view full screen.

If you received unemployment benefits during the pandemic, you likely receive Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, or PUC. PUC is scheduled to expire for all unemployment participants at the end of July.

This article contains information and resources on applying for SNAP benefits for both PUC recipients and community organizations that serve clients who have received PUC benefits.

Outreach Resources

PUC Benefits Expiration – Apply for SNAP FlyerDownload
PUC/SNAP Benefits Outreach Guide for Service ProvidersDownload

What is Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (PUC)?

PUC provides an additional unemployment benefits of $600 per week. This temporary increase will end on July 25, 2020. 

What can I do once my PUC benefits expire?

If you need additional help with purchasing groceries once your $600 per week from PUC stops coming in, you should consider applying for SNAP benefits.

Income Eligibility

Eligibility for SNAP is based on the income you received in the 30 days prior to the date of your application.  For many people, the additional income received through Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (PUC) put them over the income limit for SNAP eligibility. 

You can apply for SNAP as soon as your PUC benefits end. However, it is important to note that your first month of benefits will likely be $0 based on the income you received through PUC in the prior 30 days. 

Future months of benefits, however, will be based on your income without PUC.  (Illinois SNAP Policy Manual: PM 13-02-03: Income)

SNAP Income Limits

Below are the gross income limits for SNAP benefits.  If your income will be less than the listed amount after the Pandemic Unemployment Benefits (PUC) end, you may be eligible for SNAP Benefits.

SNAP Unit SizeMaximum Gross Income Standard (165%)
1 Person$1,718
2 Persons  2,326
3 Persons  2,933
4 Persons  3,541
5 Persons  4,149
6 Persons  4,757
7 Persons  5,364
8 Persons  5,972
9 Persons  6,580
10 Persons  7,188
Each Additional Member+608

Tips for a Smooth Application Process (for Community Organizations)

In order to ensure that IDHS has a clear understanding of the client’s financial situation at the time of application, we recommend providing the caseworkers with an explanation of the fact that the clients income will be decreasing. 

You can include a note on the fax cover page for a paper application, or in the comments section of the online application. 

Below is a sample text for the note:

Mr. Smith had previously been receiving Pandemic Unemployment Benefits in the amount of $600 per week in addition to his regularly scheduled unemployment benefits.  Beginning 7/25/2020, Mr. Smith will no longer be receiving the additional unemployment income, and will only be receiving his weekly benefit in the amount of $250.

Expanded Financial Relief for Illinoisans

Illinois households with income up to 200% of the federal poverty level are now eligible to receive assistance with utility bills, rent, temporary shelter, food, and other household necessities.

The State of Illinois just authorized an expansion of the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) program. This expansion will help Illinoisans get emergency assistance to cover costs of utility bills, rent, temporary shelter, food, and other household necessities.

Households with income up to 200% of the federal poverty level are now eligible to receive financial assistance. Increased income eligibility thresholds aim to assist additional households needing support due to COVID-19.

Here are the services covered by this newly expanded financial relief:

Here is the income eligibility chart for these expanded services:

Family Size
(total number in household)		30-Day Income
Total to Meet Eligibility​
1$2,127
2$2,873
3$3,620
4$4,367
Add $747 monthly income per person above 4 people

This new funding means approximately 1 million more residents are now eligible for this program – with about 3.5 million residents eligible in total. For an average family, that amounts to hundreds of dollars.

What documentation do I need to prove eligibility? For each household member, please have the following documents ready to confirm eligibility with your LAA or CAA:

  • Social security card
  • Proof of past 30-day income (such as a paystub, check, or copy of check showing fixed income amount [e.g. SSA, VA, DHS benefits] or other proof of documentation for any income source)
  • Utility bill if seeking utility bill assistance or lease if seeking rental assistance

Residents seeking emergency relief can visit helpillinoisfamilies.com to determine their eligibility and submit a pre-application.

Learn more and apply for relief
Emergency Relief One Pager

Meal Sites for Families in Need This Week

A list of locations offering free meals for families in need this week in response to program stoppages

Photo credit: Chicago Mayor’s Office

This blog post was adapted from this article by Block Club Chicago.

Chicago Public Schools suspended its free meal program on Monday, June 1st, but the program will return Tuesday, June 2nd. Here’s a list of CPS meal sites. All previously scheduled meal deliveries will still be delivered. People who want to sign up for future deliveries from CPS can call 773-553-KIDS.

In response to food program stoppages, neighborhood groups and local restaurants are coming together to offer relief. Here is a list of locations offering free meals for families in need this week.

  • The 40th Ward Neighbor Network will deliver meals from CPS schools to families that need them Monday, according to Ald. Andre Vasquez. You can sign up to help here.
  • Humboldt Park Montessori, 2540 W. Division St., will have bagged lunches for families needing food starting at 12:15pm until they run out.
  • The Pilsen Food Pantry was calling for volunteers to help with additional food distribution Monday.
  • Cesar’s Killer Margaritas, 3166 N. Clark St. is distributing boxed meals for families in need from 2:30-4:30 p.m. in light of the CPS news. “We ask you practice social distance, and have a face mask,” the restaurant’s owners posted on Facebook.
  • Urban Grill Chicago, 1132 W. Wilson Ave., is offering free lunches to CPS students from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.
  • Christ Lutheran Church at 3253 W. Wilson Ave is providing food for families. If you can donate, you can bring by groceries before 1 p.m. The most useful items are bread, sandwich toppings, peanut butter & jelly, rice, soups, non-perishables, microwavable meals and fruits (other than apples).
  • The Rogers Park Community Response Team is working with local food pantries and restaurants for CPS families in need of food assistance. Those in need can contact the response team’s hotline at 773-831-7668.
  • A small group of people are giving away prepared and canned food 1-3 p.m. Monday ay 3000 N. Kedzie Ave.
  • 39th Ward Alderman Samantha Nugent’s office is also working with neighbors in need of food assistance. Please call her office at 773-736-5594 if you or someone you know is in need.
  • New Life Community Church at 3729 W. Leland Ave. is giving out food, from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
  • Mexican restaurant Mi Tocaya — in partnership with Logan Square Neighborhood Association and The Power of 10 initiative — is giving out free meals to  Logan Square families in need each week. On Tuesday, the giveaways start at 11 a.m. at Monroe Elementary, 3651 W. Schubert Ave. Check lsna.net for a full pickup schedule.
  • Teachers and staff at Brentano Math & Science Academy, 2723 N. Fairfield Ave., are giving out food. Contact: (773) 534-4100

Growing Home Job Training Program Accepting Applications

Growing Home’s urban organic farm is currently hiring for its Production Assistant job training program.

Growing Home’s urban organic farm is currently hiring for its Production Assistant job training program.

Based in Englewood, Growing Home is Chicago’s leading expert in farm-based training for people with employment barriers. They know that, when people have jobs, they have economic stability in their lives; this stability allows for healthy people and families. And when communities have access to healthy food options, the overall well-being and health of the residents improves.

Growing Home’s job training program combines time spent working on the on-site urban farm with lessons on work readiness and environmental literacy, an emotional resilience curriculum, and ongoing support for career success post-graduation.

Program Highlights:

  • Applicants who are accepted begin with a job training program that pays $16/hour for 16-20 hours per week.
  • The job training program will be via remote learning due to COVID-19.
  • Applicants must be 18 years or older, unemployed, and Chicago residents.
  • Participants are meant to transition into permanent, full-time employment after graduation.

Program participants also have opportunities to earn professional certifications, gain access to free legal consultation for record sealing and expungement, and receive the support of a case manager available to provide referrals for supportive services.

Last Day to Submit an Application: Friday, June 12th 2020

See this link for more details and check out the flyers below!

Apply now

Job Training Program Flyers

Growing Home 2020 Job Training Program Cohort 2 FlyerDownload
Production Assistant Job DescriptionDownload