AGENDA and MINUTES - Joint Meeting of the Poverty and Hunger Commissions, July 29, 2025

Joint Meeting of the Illinois Commission on Poverty Elimination and Economic Security and the Commission to End Hunger

MEETING AGENDA and MINUTES

Tuesday, July 29, 2025

1:00-2:30 PM

In-person locations:

  1. IDHS Building, Executive Video Conference Room, 7th floor, 401 S Clinton St., Chicago, IL 60607
  2. IDHS Building, Executive Video Conference Room, 3rd floor, 100 South Grand Ave E, Springfield, Illinois 62704

Webex Recording

AGENDA

  1. Welcome/Roll Call/Introduction of New Members (15 min: 1:00-1:15pm)
    1. Required State Trainings and OMA training
    2. Introduction of new Co-Chair - Michelle DeHaven Quast, CEO, The Foundation for Northwest Illinois
    3. Joint meeting purpose and goals
  2. Presentation: (30 min: 1:15-1:45pm)
    1. Overview and impact of federal tax and spending bill on Illinois residents
      1. Changes to SNAP: John Schomberg, Illinois Department of Human Services; Kate Maehr, Greater Chicago Food Depository
      2. Changes to Medicaid: Emma Waters Reardon, Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services
      3. Changes impacting immigrants
  3. Breakout session: (25 min: 1:45-2:10pm)
    1. As we begin to experience the impact of the federal tax and spending bill in Illinois:
      1. What opportunities are there for collaboration across our two Commissions as a result?
      2. Which opportunities for collaboration should we prioritize urgently, and which may help us to build a stronger foundation in the long term?
      3. How can we use our two Commissions to bring our members and others together to achieve these priorities?
  4. Report Out and Next Steps (10 min: 2:10-2:20pm)
  5. Public Comment - Subject to written comment in advance (5 min: 2:20-2:25pm)
  6. Adjournment (5 min: 2:25-2:30pm)

MINUTES

Poverty Commission Attendance:

Appointment Member Attendance
Member of General Assembly Senator Kimberly A. Lightford Absent
Member of General Assembly Senator Dale Fowler Absent
Member of General Assembly Representative Jeff Keicher Absent
Member of General Assembly Representative Kimberly du Buclet Present
Member of the Judiciary Hon. Freddrenna M. Lyle, Appellate Court Justice Absent
Additional member of the Judiciary Hon. Kevin T. Lee, Associate Judge, 4th district of the Cook County Circuit Court in Maywood Present
Representative of an anti-poverty organization focusing on rural poverty (Co-chair) Michelle DeHaven Quast - Co-Chair, Chief Executive Officer, The Foundation for Northwest Illinois Present
Representative of an anti-poverty organization focusing on urban and suburban poverty Audra Wilson - Co-Chair, President and CEO, Shriver Center on Poverty Law Present
Individual who has experienced deep poverty Channyn Lynne Parker, CEO, Brave Space Alliances Absent
Individual who has experienced deep poverty Oriane E. "Annie" Hewitt, District Operations, Office of Senator Neil Anderson Present
Representative of an organization that advocates for health care access, affordability and availability TBD N/A
Representative of an organization that advocates for persons with mental illness TBD N/A
Representative of an organization that advocates for children and youth Ricardo Estrada, President and CEO, Metropolitan Family Services Present
Representative of an organization that advocates for equity and equality in education TBD N/A
Representative of an organization that advocates for individuals who are homeless Rev. Dwight Ford, Executive Director, Project NOW Present
Representative of a statewide anti-hunger organization Kate Maehr, Executive Director and CEO, Greater Chicago Food Depository Present
Representative of an organization that advocates for military veterans TBD N/A
Representative of an organization that advocates for individuals with disabilities Samantha Alloway, Executive Director, The Arc of Illinois Present
Representative of an organization that advocates for immigrants Juan Manuel Calderón, Chief Operating Officer, The Puerto Rican Cultural Center Present
Representative of a statewide faith-based organization that provides direct social services in Illinois TBD N/A
Representative of an organization that advocates for economic security for women TBD N/A
Representative of an organization that advocates for older adults TBD N/A
Representative of a labor organization that represents primarily low and middle-income wage earners TBD N/A
Representative of school districts in this State Al Llorens, President, Illinois Education Association Absent
Representative of county governments in this State Pam Davidson, Knox County Board Member (until 2026) Absent
Representative of municipal corporation governments in this State TBD N/A

Administrators: 

  1. Priya Khatkhate, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Programs, IDHS
  2. Bethany Patten, Chief Interagency Program Officer, IDHS

Commission to End Hunger Attendance:

Name Affiliation Attendance
Grace Hou State of Illinois, Deputy Governor Present
Kate Maehr Greater Chicago Food Depository, CEO Present
Robert Baren Office of Illinois Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton, Senior Advisor Present
Robert Biekman Director for Evangelical Mission & Associate to the Bishop, Metropolitan Chicago Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Absent
Gina Cleggs Catholic Charities, Senior Vice President Operations and Innovation Present
Robert Eastern III City of East St. Louis, Mayor Absent
Stephen Ericson Feeding Illinois, Executive Director Absent
Joshua Gibb Galesburg Community Foundation, President and CEO Absent
John Herring, Sr. Illinois Network of Centers for Independent Living, Executive Director Present
Dakarai Howard Illinois Department of Agriculture, Senior Policy Advisor Present
April Janney President and CEO of Illinois Action for Children Present
Robert Karr Illinois Retail Merchants Association (IRMA), President and CEO Present
Mary Killough Illinois Department on Aging, Director Absent
Jonathan Lavin Age Options (retired) Absent
Heidi Mueller Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Director Absent
Luvia Quiñones Illinois Coalition for Immigrant & Refugee Rights (ICIRR), Health Policy Director Absent
Dulce Quintero Illinois Department of Human Services, Secretary Present
Carolyn Ross All Chicago, President and CEO Present
Jeramie Strickland Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Director, Office of Community Outreach Absent
Tony Sanders Illinois State Board of Education, State Superintendent Present
Lizzy Whitehorn Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, Director Absent
Elizabeth Hernandez Illinois House of Representatives, 24th District Representative Absent
Mattie Hunter Illinois State Senate, 3rd District Senator Absent
Charles Meier Illinois House of Representatives, 108th District Representative Present
Sue Rezin Illinois State Senate, 38th District Senator Absent
Audra Wilson Shriver Center on Poverty Law, President and CEO Present
Diane Doherty Illinois Hunger Coalition, Executive Director Absent

Administrator: Danielle Perry, Vice President of Policy & Advocacy, GCFD

Guests/Facilitators:

  1. Audrey Pennington, Chief Operating Officer, Aunt Martha's Health & Wellness and Chair, Medicaid Advisory Committee
  2. Ni'Shele Jackson, Institute for Research on Race and Public Policy (IRRPP)

Agenda:

  1. Welcome/Roll Call/Introduction of New Members - led by Administrator Priya Khatkhate. Roll call vote for the approval of meeting minutes will be postponed and will be done in special separate Commission meetings.
    1. Required State Trainings and OMA training
      • Members were reminded to complete the trainings by the end of the year. Completion is to comply with the Open Meetings Act and Ethics Act.
      • Members with password or log in problems can reach out to Administrator Khatkhate or to Len Conant or to Danielle Perry for Hunger Commission members.
    2. Introduction of new members and guests
      • Ms. Michelle DeHaven Quast, CEO of The Foundation for Northwest Illinois was introduced as the new Co-Chair of the Poverty Commission.
      • Also announced was Ms. Audra Wilson's transition from her role as President and CEO of the Shriver Center on Poverty Law thus, her stepping down as co-chair of the Poverty Commission.
      • Also introduced was Ms. Bethany Patten as the new Chief Interagency Program Officer at IDHS.
      • Ms. Audrey Pennington, Chief Operating Officer at St. Martha's Health and Wellness and chair of the Illinois Medicaid Advisory Committee was also introduced as guest and joining as a member of the public.
      • Ms. Pennington introduced Ms. Melishia Bansa who is with the Board of Commission with HFS also joining as a member of the public.
    3. Roll call - Administrator Khatkhate led the roll call for the Poverty Commission and Ms. Danielle Perry for the Hunger Commission.
    4. Hunger Commission co-chairs Deputy Governor Grace Hou and GCFD CEO Kate Maehr gave an opening message as well as the purpose of the joint meeting.
      • Present impacts of the Trump spending bill to communities and individuals who receive SNAP and Medicaid.
      • Determine opportunities for working together with stakeholders and partners in designing implementation of the rules and requirements inherent in the federal bill.
  2. The following presentations were made to give an overview and impact of the federal tax and spending bill on Illinois residents. (link to presentation)
    1. Changes to SNAP: John Schomberg, IDHS; Kate Maehr, GCFD
    2. Changes to Medicaid: Emma Waters Reardon, Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services
    3. Changes impacting immigrants: Jeremy Rosen, Shriver Center on Poverty Law
  3. Breakout session/Report out: members of the Commissions, DHS and GFCD staff were grouped into separate sessions and discussed the following questions:
    1. As we begin to experience the impact of the federal tax and spending bill in Illinois:
      1. What opportunities are there for collaboration across our two Commissions as a result?
      2. Which opportunities for collaboration should we prioritize urgently, and which may help us to build a stronger foundation in the long term?
      3. How can we use our two Commissions to bring our members and others together to achieve these priorities?
    2. Notes from the breakout groups:
      • There is an opportunity for collaboration among local schools and local communities re inform people about impacts of the federal changes c/o ISBE. Commission can facilitate the collaboration.
      • Consider impacts to senior people; How to get the info (potential impacts) out to impacted people, what's on the horizon, is there any way to stop the impact; how to reach out to residents.
      • People's trauma is real; consider population who will not know this is coming; some people will be overwhelmed; How can the Commissions facilitate, so that despite these changes people will still get the benefits; How to avoid the elimination/disqualification of folks who are simply fed up by the bureaucracy.
      • Consider people with intellectual disabilities, many parents are taking care of these children; Need to educate them on Medicaid; educate these families about SNAP; bring together these communities; educate as many people as possible.
      • The two Commissions should just keep meeting together as a giant commission; cross pollination of ideas will happen best if we keep meeting.
      • Move forward an information campaign. Focus not only on education but on the channels on how to get the information out to people; streamlining the ways people navigate these changes would be helpful.
      • Continue to collaborate to strengthen work at the local level; continue working with providers and legislators to let local people know what's available to them. Explore rural education and engagement?
      • IRRPP did a report on food access; people are looking for a lot of services to be met when they go to food pantries; food pantries can serve as hubs in rural areas where they can connect to multiple social safety net programs; have volunteers and teams equipped with materials and information; not just an information marketing campaign.
      • Despite best efforts, so much food still goes to waste e.g. in storage, from giving away; how to push back on this to get more food to general public?
      • How do we make it easier for more Food Rescue groups or pantries to get off the ground? Some big sophisticated organizations could help the smaller food pantries?
      • Collaborate with Food Depo to rescue food, MFS is big enough and could help their pantry get food --- capacity building of some of our larger partners!
      • Collaborate with food pantries and food banks to build more capacity for storage and as second step go out and do rescue?
      • Conduct roadshow; go out across the state in communities that haven't had opportunity for in person commission meetings and educate them what is happening; invite school superintendents and principals to those meetings so they understand the full impact of the cuts.
      • Bring in retail grocery stores in central and southern Illinois; a lot of those stores are already struggling; lift up retailer, healthcare, farmer voices in this conversation.
      • More collaboration and joint meetings
      • Reach out to companies' distributing food to partner with and see if they would like to donate food
      • Ask for sponsors for food security/seek funding
      • Call for meetings to serve the less fortunate
      • Governor can issue a proclamation for corporations to assist.
  4. Public comments received in advance thru email:
    1. Michael Janecek - the first task of the Commission is to set a "less absurd level as poverty"; start "Illinois Medicare for all"; boost education thru funding; financing of a well-functioning economy would be much easier thru passing of the American Monetary Reform Act.
    2. Karli Paggeot - the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Chicago asks the Commission to reconsider the formula used to calculate federal poverty.
    3. Katie Thiesen of Lightways Hospice and Serious Illness Care Founded as Joliet Area Community Hospice - There is a need for a single application for all state benefits; a need for an accurate measure of poverty level; and a need for legislators to fund the Commission.
    4. Sharon Monday - asks the Commission to use the Supplemental Poverty Measure rather than the outdated Federal Poverty Level and to appoint more people with lived experiences of poverty.
    5. Lourdes Valenzuela of Illinois Poor People's Campaign (PPC) - stop using the federal poverty level and use the PPC's measure of poverty and economic security, and include people with lived experiences of poverty including the immigrant population in the Commission.
    6. Ted Wachs of Illinois PPC - use PPC's measure of poverty and economic security.
    7. David L Ong - concerned about Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP and HUD in Illinois.
    8. Elizabeth Meadows of Illinois PPC - a significant number of students at Roosevelt University in Chicago and Schaumburg experience hunger, deprivation and poverty; stop using the federal poverty level and use the PPC's measure of poverty and economic security, and include more people with lived experience of poverty on the Commission.
    9. Bruce E Parry of Illinois PPC and Illinois Union of the Homeless - strongly recommends that the Commission and the state upgrade its definition of poverty by using the Supplemental Poverty Measure and add unhoused people to the Commission.
    10. Sharon Laws - the federal poverty level does not accurately reflect today's cost of living; consider applying the PPC's measure of poverty and economic security. Also concerned on second generation struggling with college debt and retirees struggling to get part-time jobs.
    11. Beth Brady - stop using the federal poverty level and use the PPC's measure of poverty and economic security, and include more people with lived experience of poverty on the Commission.
    12. Jalisa Holifield of Alliance to End Homelessness in Suburban Cook County - stop using the federal poverty level and use the Poor People's Campaign's measure of poverty and economic security, and include more people with lived experience of poverty on the Commission.
    13. Megan Drilling of Illinois PPC - stop using the federal poverty level and use the PPC's measure of poverty and economic security, and include more people with lived experience of poverty on the Commission.
    14. Katie Thiesen - stop using the federal poverty level and use the PPC's measure of poverty and economic security, and include more people with lived experience of poverty on the Commission.
    15. Jacquelyn Bonavia of Illinois PPC - stop using the federal poverty level and use PPC's measure of poverty and economic security, and include more people with lived experience of poverty on the Commission.
    16. Susan Crickmore - stop using the federal poverty level and use the PPC's measure of poverty and economic security, and include more people with lived experience of poverty on the Commission.
    17. Pastor Peter Horth - urges the Commission to include more people with lived experience of poverty on the commission.
    18. Bre Hoffman of Illinois PPC - stop using the federal poverty level and use PPC's measure of poverty and economic security, and include more people with lived experience of poverty on the Commission.
  5. Adjournment - Ms. Maehr moved to adjourn the meeting seconded by Ms. Quast. The group unanimously agreed to adjourn the meeting at 2:35 PM.