This could be the last week of benefits for nearly two million Illinois residents, as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funding pause is one more effect of the ongoing government shutdown.

In Glen Ellyn, food pantry organizers and customers worry about what this means for them as the pause comes just weeks before the holidays begin.  

Vanessa Williams, a retired nurse of 32 years, was one of the party's 43 visitors who stopped by the Glen House Food Pantry at 55 North Park Blvd. She said she never thought she'd be there.

"Oh no, never. Never. I never dreamed of this. I thought I'd be traveling right now," she said.

Executive director of the pantry, Laura Glaza, said the numbers are increasing as they're feeding more people, with extra boxes lined up throughout the pantry.

"We are out of space to such a degree that we have just made arrangements to lease an additional 3000 square feet of space in Glen Ellyn, just a few blocks from here," Glaza said.

And it's all coming in at a higher price.

"We used to be able to get most of our food from the Northern Illinois Food Bank, free or pennies on the dollar. And now, when you look at our costs here in 2019, we spent $32,000 in food. This year, we are on pace to spend $273,000 on food. That's because of the increased demand and because of the increased cost of going to the grocery store those our clients are facing this and so are we," Glaza said.

Nearly half a million households in Cook County received SNAP benefits in August, according to data from the Illinois Department of Human Services. More than 850,000 people rely on those benefits. Including neighboring counties, it's more than 677,000 households, feeding more than 1.2 million people. Statewide SNAP helps puts food on the table for nearly 2 million people.  

Williams said she doesn't get much in SNAP assistance, only $20 a month, so she is leaning on the food pantry to provide.

"Something's got to happen. It can't get no worser than what it is now," she said.

Echoing the feelings of the pantry workers as they restock ahead of the next round of customers.