"I'm retired now, so I count every penny. You go to the grocery store, the fruits, veggies, meats, everything is off the chain," said one SNAP recipient.
The Greater Chicago Food Depository hosted nine separate emergency food distribution events across the Chicago area on Saturday to meet the need as the state works to pay out SNAP benefits.
Even as the federal government reopens, many in Illinois still have not received benefits and may not until later this week.
People at Saturday's distribution at Austin's Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation took home milk, bread, and a box of shelf-stable foods.
"When the SNAP program was suspended by the government, we knew that there were going to be millions of people across this country, and hundreds of thousands of people here in the city of Chicago, who all of a sudden would fall into a world of hurt," said Greater Chicago Food Depository Executive Director Kate Maehr. "We knew before the shutdown, we had record number of people struggling with hunger. One in four families here in the city of Chicago faces hunger."
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Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson took time out of his schedule to help personally pass out boxes of food to his constituents.
He also signed an executive order that directs city resources to nonprofits and food pantries working to help meet the need during this time.
"I know what it's like to come home after school, and you open up the refrigerator, and there's no food in it," Johnson said. "All of Chicago is coming together at a critical time in our world's history to show up for the least of these."
Chicago's Janice Wilson spoke with ABC7 from her car as she picked up food on Saturday morning.
She says she has not received any SNAP benefits this month, making these events crucial for her and her family.
"This here is a blessing. Whatever they are doing at the food pantry, it's a blessing," Wilson said.
When times are tough, Chicago comes together.
Click here for more information on Saturday's Greater Chicago Food Depository distribution events.