Ruth Poole-Rivera, 49, a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipient, stands in her kitchen in the Chatham neighborhood, Wednesday, March 8, 2023. Poole-Rivera, who has diabetes and other health problems, said she and her family made $514 of SNAP assistance meet their needs, but she is worried now that her allowance is reduced to $281 because she will no longer receive additional funds from SNAP’s emergency allotments that started in April 2020. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times (Pat Nabong/Sun-Times)
As Ruth Poole-Rivera’s family adjusts to losing about $233 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, she plans to stretch out food essentials such as rice and beans as much as she can.
Even with the emergency allotment of SNAP benefits that kept her and other recipients afloat during the coronavirus pandemic, she continued visiting Nourishing Hope’s Sheridan Market food pantry once a month. Now, she’s considering if she’ll have to start making weekly trips from her Chatham home.
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