As the school year wraps up, Natasha McClendon, a 48-year-old mother from Englewood, fears for her family’s future.
After working as a substitute teacher assistant for about three days a week during the school year, McClendon is now struggling to find summer work.
Her concern is heightened by the new work requirements introduced by a recent tax and policy bill signed into law by President Donald Trump.
She worries that her reduced hours might not be sufficient to meet the requirements necessary to maintain her family’s public health insurance and food assistance benefits.
“What do we do?” McClendon asked.
“Will we actually be able to meet these requirements in order to continue [the] benefits?”
The implications of the new regulations are expected to reverberate throughout the Chicago area as they begin to take effect over the next few years.
Lindsay Allen, an assistant professor of emergency medicine at Northwestern University, noted that community groups will likely see an increase in demand.
“As more people are losing benefits, demand is going to rise for things like food pantries and medical assistance funds and crisis housing services,” Allen said.
Illinois Democrats and various experts have warned that the measure’s cuts, totaling $1.2 trillion, could cause over 500,000 Illinoisans to lose health care coverage, while approximately 427,000 people may face the risk of losing their food assistance.
Food pantries and advocacy groups throughout the Chicago area are bracing for the effects of these changes, scrambling to provide guidance and assistance to residents in need.
Safety net hospitals that serve predominantly low-income patients relying on Medicaid may soon be overwhelmed as well.
Without adequate funding from Medicaid, these institutions could face dire situations.
McClendon’s family relies on the Medicaid program and receives $906 monthly from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to support themselves and their four children.
To make ends meet, she visits St. Sabina Church’s food pantry on Chicago’s South Side once a month.
However, as new work requirements take effect, McClendon fears that food pantries and community resources will struggle to keep up with rising demand.
“Are they going to have enough food to supply the people that are going to be coming to their pantries for food when they run out of benefits?” she asked.
According to Man-Yee Lee, a spokesperson for the Greater Chicago Food Depository, the organization expects to see longer lines at food pantries due to modifications in SNAP and Medicaid programs.
The network of 850 food pantries in Cook County served 2.4 million households last fiscal year, surpassing both the previous year and the pandemic peak.
“We were never meant to solve hunger alone, and nor should we be expected to,” Lee emphasized.
“It is exactly these safety net programs that Congress is proposing to cut that we need at this crucial time.”
Nourishing Hope, which operates multiple food pantries and nutritional programs, has also reported a significant increase in demand.
Over 4,000 new individuals enrolled in SNAP sought assistance from its food pantries last year, according to Mitzi Baum, the interim chief executive officer.
Currently, there is a three-to-four-week wait time to receive support from a Nourishing Hope caseworker, and that demand is projected to increase.
Baum noted that individuals might have to demonstrate their eligibility for Medicaid more frequently under the new legislation.
However, the organization currently lacks the funding necessary to hire additional caseworkers to address the growing need.
“We would definitely like to do that because we know the demand on social workers and organizations like ours is only going to increase,” Baum said.
Addressing rising needs, Lee indicated that the food depository is working to expand partnerships with retailers, manufacturers, and farmers to secure more rescued food.
They are also increasing efforts for food donations and ramping up fundraising campaigns, she said.
Still, Baum expressed concern that these measures would not provide a long-term solution to the potential gap left by federal funding cuts.
On the Southwest Side, advocacy efforts have already seen a decline in SNAP enrollment at the Brighton Park Neighborhood Council.
Patrick Brosnan, the executive director of the council, explained that fear surrounding the status of immigrant relatives has led to some households avoiding SNAP due to misconceptions about its consequences.
Consequently, families are becoming increasingly resourceful, even as many have lost their primary income sources during the pandemic.
McClendon’s family faced such hardships, compounded by the loss of her father during the pandemic.
His passing has made it even harder to make ends meet.
“Some days I cry because I’m, like, at the point of [giving] up,” McClendon admitted.
Yet she remains determined for the sake of her children.
“But then I said, ‘No, I have these babies to live for, so I can’t give up,’” she continued.
Reflecting on her father’s resilience encourages her to keep pushing forward.
Access Living, a Chicago-based organization that assists individuals with disabilities, has spent months informing clients about the changes brought about by Trump’s bill.
Sebastian Nalls, a policy analyst from Access Living, described the process as intentionally confusing, creating obstacles for individuals who might lose Medicaid eligibility.
“For now, people on Medicaid should check their addresses with the program to ensure they receive mailed notices,” Nalls advised.
He also suggested that individuals verify their “redetermination” date, which indicates when they will need their eligibility reassessed.
While the timeline for implementing the Medicaid work requirements in Illinois remains unclear, Nalls urged those who are currently employed to begin saving their pay stubs as a precaution.
For those who lose their Medicaid coverage due to ineligibility or paperwork errors, alternatives are limited.
“Folks are going to be relying heavily on safety net hospitals,” Nalls stated.
He anticipates many individuals will delay seeking medical treatment until absolutely necessary, ultimately resorting to emergency care.
Tim Egan, president and CEO of Roseland Community Hospital, expressed grave concerns regarding the implications of Medicaid cuts, warning that safety net hospitals could suffer a catastrophic blow.
With approximately 75% of patients at Roseland covered by Medicaid, Egan emphasized the program’s essential role in hospital funding.
In preparing for upcoming Medicaid cuts, Egan has already implemented measures to reduce costs, such as limiting certain medical tests.
“This is cold-blooded murder,” Egan asserted.
“This will mean death to safety net hospitals and our patients, plain and simple, death.”
Brosnan, from the Brighton Park Neighborhood Council, stated that his organization will await guidance from state officials before advising residents seeking assistance.
The looming changes promise to have far-reaching effects on families like McClendon’s and the community resources that support them.
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