"We're starving people," Longoria said.
Beginning Saturday, Nov. 1, millions of families nationwide could lose access to SNAP benefits.
Two federal judges ruled nearly simultaneously on Friday that President Donald Trump's administration must continue to fund SNAP, the nation's biggest food aid program, using contingency funds during the government shutdown. But it wasn't immediately clear how quickly the debit cards that beneficiaries use to buy groceries could be reloaded after the ruling. That process often takes one to two weeks, and the rulings are likely to face appeals.
SNAP benefits could expire for millions on Friday night
Those who rely on the benefits include Longoria, who says her disability keeps her from having the typical 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. job.
"I'm going to have to go to food pantries myself and eat what I can eat, and maybe one meal a day," Longoria said.
Despite her own challenges, it is not stopping her from hosting her monthly Warm Heart community meals through her foundation, Paying It Forward. With the help of East Chicago Church, they provide full dinners and sometimes gifts, for anyone dealing with food insecurity.
"It's going to be literally, do I pay my rent? Do I feed my family?" Longoria said.
In the Chicagoland metro area, 12% of households receive SNAP benefits. That's more than 450,000 families. Of those households 42.1% include someone with a disability, 39.5% include an elderly person, and 46.3% have a minor.
"I don't let them know that, like, oh, mommy's struggling to put food on the table for you guys," said Kelli Brinnehl.
Brinnehl, a mother of three, says her link card that accesses SNAP benefits was hacked into during the past few months.
"With losing it the last couple months, like, so I have nothing," Brinnehl said.
She is only two months away from graduating from her workforce development program, something to help get a job, so she wouldn't need SNAP benefits. But, she says, she might have to consider dropping out so she can feed her kids.
"If I got a job, A, I wouldn't graduate, and B, I would still have to pay out-of-pocket, you know, for a babysitter and their food," Brinnehl said.
Those complex realities, which many families find themselves in, are why Longoria is not giving up.
"Do what you can in order to survive and have hope that is going to get better," Longoria said.
The next Warm Heart community meal will be at East Chicago Church on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. All are welcome.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.