Cook County provides $10 million in funds to Greater Chicago Food Depository
Cook County is providing $10 million to the Greater Chicago Food Depository to help make sure local families in need have sufficient access to fresh food.
The money will help the nonprofit distribute fresh food to a network of food pantries, which have seen a spike in demand amid new work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition and Assistance Program, and President Trump's threats to cut off SNAP funding for states that refuse to turn over information about people receiving food stamp benefits.
"The Trump administration continues to implement deep cuts to the very programs millions of Americans depend on. Here in Cook County, we're not going to stand by and accept that. If Washington pulls back from supporting working families, local governments must step up, and that's exactly what we're doing today," Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said.
Cook County officials said one in five families in the area experiences food insecurity, a lack of access to fresh food. Because of the new work requirements for SNAP benefits, Preckwinkle said as many as 200,000 more Cook County residents might seek help from local food banks in 2026.
The Greater Chicago Food Depository said the $10 million funding from Cook County will help ensure more food is available for families in need, and increase capacity at food pantries for years to come.
"The Greater Chicago Food Depository is grateful to Cook County leadership for prioritizing a community-wide response to hunger," Greater Chicago Food Depository chief operating officer Jill Rahman said in a statement. "More than 1.4 million people across Cook County are challenged to put food on their tables. We expect the need to grow in the year ahead as the cost of living remains high and the federal safety net is slashed."
