About two million people living in the state of Illinois depend on food stamps, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and use Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards to get food on the table. As of Feb. 1, new changes related to SNAP eligibility were implemented in accordance with the outlined rules in President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill.”

The new bill not only imposed additional restrictions on the eligibility list, but from 2025 to 2034, there will be a $186 billion budget cut from the SNAP program, according to the Congressional Budget Office. 

The eligibility requirements took place on Feb. 1, but other restrictions, such as a limitation on asylees or refugees, will take effect on April 1, and on May 1, additional rules will be placed as well.

“The new law passed in Washington, D.C., requires people between the ages of 18 and 64 to work or volunteer a minimum of 80 hours per month or participate in certain training or education to receive SNAP benefits. Most SNAP recipients need to meet the work requirements, except for those listed below,” the Illinois Department of Human Services said in a PDF available on their website.

Those who meet the exemption list are as follows: anyone under 18 or over 64, a parent or member of a household with someone under 14, those medically labeled unable to work whether mentally or physically, certain Native Americans, a parent or other member of the house responsible for the care of an incapacitated person, or a participant in a drug or alcohol addiction rehabilitation program.

“Families with limited English proficiency, mixed-status households, and those already experiencing housing instability tend to feel the impact more quickly. These families may face additional barriers in understanding new requirements or completing documentation on time,” Teresa Ocon, Family Outreach Coordinator at West Chicago Community High School, said.

The changes made to the exempt list will affect veterans, youth who grew up in foster care, and those experiencing homelessness. They will now be required to meet the following work requirements: working, paid or unpaid, for a minimum of 20 hours per week; volunteering and complying with a SNAP Employment and Training activity; completing self-initiated community service; or any combination of these.

These changes not only affect families, but, as Ocon noted, food insecurity is directly connected to student attendance, focus, and well-being.

“Students experiencing food insecurity often show signs such as fatigue, difficulty concentrating, increased irritability, or frequent visits to the nurse. Any change to food assistance creates anxiety, especially for families already balancing multiple stressors,” Ocon said. “Even small policy shifts can feel overwhelming when a family is living paycheck to paycheck.”

There are benefits that WEGO families can apply for at school, such as the free lunch program, and WEGO recently also started giving free WEGO breakfast to every student. The free lunch program application can be found on the official D94 website, which has an e-form in both Spanish and English. The form explains either reduced lunch or free lunch based on the size of the household and the income being made, as well as the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

However, Illinois currently provides universal free breakfast and lunch to public school students through state funding under its “Healthy School Meals for All” program. This means that students at WCCHS will continue to receive free meals at school regardless of changes to SNAP eligibility. Illinois supplements federal funding to ensure all public school students have access to free meals.

In an email response to the Wildcat Chronicle, the district’s Executive Director of Business Services, Dan Oberg, said that changes to a family’s SNAP status would not alter a student’s free meal status at school.

“If a family’s status with SNAP has changed, it would not change their free status at the school,” he wrote, noting that families may apply for free or reduced lunch at any time during the school year if their financial circumstances change.

Still, some WEGO families have expressed concern about the new regulations.

“It’s worrisome to a certain extent, but most things around here, like providing easy access to food and stuff like that, we’re mostly relying on other stuff, like food pantries,” Michelle Guevara, a junior at WCCHS, said.

A handful of parents have phoned the school for additional information.

“Some parents have been calling to ask if there are going to be any changes if they do not qualify [for free or reduced lunch] because of the EBT changes,” Fanny Lopez, Administrative Assistant to Student Services, said.

Lopez said that once families qualify for free or reduced lunch, their status remains in place for the rest of that academic year. Families apply once per school year, and if circumstances change, they may reapply.

To help assure local families during this time, WCCHS has flyers all around the school and digital copies below for student and family food pantry services in the West Chicago area.

Revision

March 3, 2026

An earlier version of this article suggested that recent changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) could affect students’ access to free or reduced-price school meals.

Illinois currently provides universal free breakfast and lunch to public school students through the state’s Healthy School Meals for All program. Changes to federal SNAP eligibility requirements do not eliminate free meals for students in Illinois public schools.

While some families may experience changes to household SNAP benefits, students at West Chicago Community High School will continue to receive free school meals under current Illinois law.

We regret the confusion and appreciate the opportunity to clarify.