Local food pantries continue to see an increase in clients due to the stoppage of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and now are bracing for more potential disruption in their mission to help local families and individuals despite the reopening of the federal government.

Illinois residents who receive benefits expect to see their full benefits restored by the end of this week, according to the Illinois Department of Human Services.

Last week, that agency said it anticipates that the remaining benefit payments through the U.S. Department of Agriculture will be made over the coming days, with all SNAP recipients receiving their full November benefits by Nov. 20.

But one local pantry director is approaching that resumption cautiously.

“Every time they mess with SNAP our numbers go up,” said Kathy Wragg, director of the Polo Lifeline Food Pantry. “We’ve seen 30 or more families in the past two months. Most are new, younger families. Some haven’t used the pantry before or they haven’t come in for a very long time.”

Wragg lays the uptick in need directly on the shoulders of the Trump administration that declined to fund the SNAP program during the shutdown. She is worried that SNAP beneficiaries won’t get their full allotment when benefits are scheduled to begin again later this week.

The Polo pantry, 113 Green St., is funded entirely by donations, serving close to 400 individuals and 125 families each month. While pantries tend to see an uptick in donations in November and December due to the holidays, donations tend to decrease in January.

“We are entirely self-sufficient and we run on donations. Our community has been fabulous,” Wragg said, adding that additional operating costs are not sustainable.

Barb Diehl, of Loaves & Fish Food Pantry in Mt. Morris, said their all-volunteer pantry also has seen an increase due to the stoppage of SNAP.

“We’ve seen about a 30% increase with many new households,” Diehl said. “We can definitely use grocery donations, especially cereal, pasta, canned fruit, soup, and noodle or rice side dishes.”

That pantry is located in the former Church of the Brethren, 409 W. Brayton Road.

“The pantry has been serving an increasing number of individuals and families as groceries and the cost of utilities, housing and transportation continue to rise. So far this year, Mt. Morris Loaves and Fish Food Pantry has provided food to an average of over 374 individuals, 149 households, each month, including at least 80 children and 98 seniors monthly,” Diehl said.

In Oregon, at the Lifeline Food and Self Help Project, located in Conover Square, 203 N. Third St., Suite 6, volunteers were busy restocking shelves because of an increase in clients.

“We need basically anything for a Thanksgiving dinner,” said Lora Messenger, one of the volunteers. “We saw an increase of almost half in one week. It was a mix of some people coming back in and some new faces. We are very thankful for all our volunteers and our donors.”

Messenger suggested those wishing to help can make a monetary donation to their local pantry of choice.

“With a monetary donation we can go out and buy what we need from the Northern Illinois Food Bank or other grocers,” she said.

Wragg is concerned that other economic factors such as increases in insurance coverage and medication costs also will impact families and individuals in local communities, forcing more of them to seek help at local pantries.

“Everything trickles down. Every time they mess with special programs it has an impact on the pantries,” Wragg said.

She is worried that January could bring another food crisis for those at risk.

“Nobody really knows what’s happening with SNAP,” Wragg said. “I am not confident that SNAP is coming back like it was. It’s just insane.”

For more information on food pantries in Ogle County, visit the Ogle County Health Department website.

SNAP information and food resources are available online at the SNAP Federal Impact Center.