When the Trump administration slashed $500 million from the Emergency Food Assistance Program this spring, food banks across the country suddenly found themselves with less to give. Between May and September, more than 4,300 deliveries — equal to 94 million pounds of food — were canceled nationwide.  

Nourishing Hope, a Chicago-based food pantry and social services organization, is one of many local agencies seeking to provide healthy foods and a diverse range of groceries to Chicagoans in need amid these cuts.

“The loss of $500 million in Emergency Food Assistance deliveries has immediate, tangible effects: less food available for local pantries like ours, tighter inventories and longer lines,” said Karla Flannery, Nourishing Hope’s director of marketing and communication, in an email statement. “For those already food insecure, it means tougher choices between meals, medicine and rent, and a growing sense of uncertainty about where their next meal will come from.” 

Most food banks around the United States are funded by a combination of federal and state dollars, private giving and community partnerships. Nourishing Hope runs primarily on donations, with more than 93% of their food coming from monetary donations and food contributions.

Mario Iglesias, 66, was one of many people waiting in line at Nourishing Hope’s Lakeview location on the morning of Monday, Oct. 13. Iglesias, a former industrial garage repairman, was injured in a work-related incident six years ago, falling 24 feet off of a ladder. He collected disability checks for six months.

After sustaining the injury, Iglesias was no longer fit for physical labor.

“The company couldn’t find a place for me to fit in, so they kicked me off to the side,” he said.

Iglesias left the company and started collecting unemployment checks. Soon after his departure, his wife was diagnosed with throat cancer and he lost his house. In addition to food assistance, Iglesias has been coming to Nourishing Hope for mental health counseling, another critical aspect of Nourishing Hope’s mission according to Flannery  

“Nourishment is more than food,” Flannery said. “It’s stability, dignity, and community connection.”  

Adding to the issue is Trump’s signing of the “Big Beautiful Bill” on July 4, which included the largest cut to the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) in the program’s history. With the organization giving states 120 days to implement policy changes, many Americans on SNAP, also known as food stamps, will see a change in their benefits coming Nov. 1, with stricter work requirements and more barriers to qualify.

On Oct. 1, the president cut funding for SNAP-Ed, a federal assistance program that provided funding for food banks around the United States. Around 4 million people are expected to lose their SNAP benefits, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a progressive policy thinktank. 

The bill also allocated $170 billion to immigration and border enforcement over the next four years.

“We anticipate a ‘perfect storm’ — greater demand for food assistance while some neighbors may be afraid to seek help,” Flannery said. 

In addition to food banks like Nourishing Hope, many Chicagoans also rely on local soup kitchens and ready-to-eat services to meet their needs.

Seton Soup Kitchen, a DePaul student organization, started in 1980 serving sandwiches and coffee on the steps of St. Vincent DePaul church. Today, the organization serves 55 to 80 meals a day to recipients. In addition to food, the organization provides hygiene kits, socks, gloves, hats and winter clothing to its guests.

Tyler Ackerman, a DePaul graduate, has been working at the soup kitchen for the last five years. As a manager, he is responsible for purchasing food, planning meals, assigning tasks to volunteers and training them  on the spot.

Most of the soup kitchen’s funding comes from fundraising through  the parish’s outreach efforts. Donations come primarily through church members. Occasionally, the church hosts one-off events to raise money.

“A lot of our guests are regulars,” Ackerman said. “It’s really taking shape as a community gathering. These are good people going through hard times.”

According to a 2025 study by the Greater Chicago Food Depository, 36% of households are not able to afford the basic cost of living in their county, with 25% of Chicago residents facing food insecurity. Household visits to food pantries and free groceries programs rose 48% from 2020 to 2025.

Of the guests at Seton Soup Kitchen, about half are unhoused. The other half are housed but food insecure, Ackerman estimates.

 “They need a meal to count on, so the work we do is very important to them,” he said. “If we were to close, that would be a huge upset in their day. It’s a matter of life and death. Everyone needs to eat.”

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