TABLE OF CONTENTS -
Who we are
Letter from the Co-chairs
Progress
- Technology Working Group
- Innovation Working Group
- Collaboration Working Group
Spotlight
Work Group Membership
- Technology Working Group
- Innovation Working Group
- Collaboration Working Group
Contact
WHO WE ARE
Illinois Commission to End Hunger
The Illinois Commission to End Hunger is a public-private partnership composed of stakeholders from across the state dedicated to the belief that no one in Illinois should ever face hunger. The Commission was established by the Commission to End Hunger Act of 2010 with the purpose of developing an action plan to ensure cross-collaboration among government entities and community partners toward the shared goal of ending hunger in Illinois.
CO-CHAIRS
Sol Flores, State of Illinois, Deputy Governor
Kate Maehr, Greater Chicago Food Depository, CEO
COMMISSION MEMBERS
Jenny Aguirre, Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, Office of the Director, Strategic Vendor Relationships, Administrator
Robert Baren, Illinois Department of Agriculture, Legislative Liaison
Paula Basta, Illinois Department on Aging, Director
Robert Biekman
Gina Cleggs, Catholic Charities, Senior Vice President Operations and Innovation
Diane Doherty, Illinois Hunger Coalition, Executive Director
Robert Eastern III, City of East St. Louis, Mayor
Stephen Ericson, Feeding Illinois, Executive Director
Joshua Gibb, Galesburg Community Foundation, President and CEO
Mark Haller, Illinois State Board of Education, Nutrition Department, Director
Elizabeth Hernandez, Illinois House of Representatives, 24th District Representative
John Herring, Sr., Illinois Network of Centers for Independent Living, Executive Director
Grace Hou, Illinois Department of Human Services, Secretary
Mattie Hunter, Illinois State Senate, 3rd District Senator
Robert Karr, Illinois Retail Merchants Association (IRMA), President and CEO
Jonathan Lavin
Charles Meier, Illinois House of Representatives, 108th District Representative
April Janney, Illinois Action for Children, President and CEO
Angela Odoms-Young, University of Illinois at Chicago Institute for Health Research and Policy, Associate Professor
Luvia Quiñones, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant & Refugee Rights (ICIRR), Health Policy Director
Sue Rezin, Illinois State Senate, 38th District Senator
Carolyn Ross, All Chicago, President and CEO
Marc Smith, Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Director
Audra Wilson, Shriver Center on Poverty Law, President and CEO
LETTER FROM THE CO-CHAIRS
In 2021, the Illinois Commission to End Hunger released From Food Insecurity to Food Equity: A Roadmap for Ending Hunger in Illinois. That report laid out an ambitious, multi-year plan to reduce food insecurity in Illinois and advance food equity for the long-term. By focusing on strategies to leverage technology, harness innovation, and support collaboration, the Roadmap will reduce barriers to program access and increase uptake of nutrition assistance programs in Illinois. Since the release of the Roadmap, the Commission has formed three working groups to help advance the three pillars of technology, innovation, and collaboration, which include community voices from around our state. Each workgroup has developed a workplan with action steps to advance the vision laid out in the Roadmap. Over the last 18 months, the Commission has had huge success in moving forward Roadmap recommendations. This report summarizes key progress made toward the Roadmap recommendations. As we continued the nationwide recovery from the pandemic over the last year, we saw crisis and hardship - but also dedication, creativity, and a community coming together. The emergency efforts and COVID policies that were put in place over the last two years showed us that we can mitigate the worst effects of a crisis and avoid widespread hunger, showing that real change can lead to real steps forward. Across the nutritional safety net, state and local agencies worked with the federal government to eliminate barriers that kept families from food. Service providers and food banks created innovative programs to connect with people facing hunger in new ways. Community groups and neighbors mobilized to ensure that even the most isolated in their community could get help with food. While these efforts demonstrated incredible innovation and resilience, there is still more work to be done. Over the last year, historic double digit food inflation has added new stress to household budgets. More families are struggling to put food on the table as they are faced with sharply rising prices for basic necessities like food, gasoline, and utilities. We know that our work to find solutions to address hunger long-term is more important than ever. Even as we continue to advance the recommendations laid out in the Roadmap, we are mindful to center the needs of our communities in our work and be responsive to shifting needs. Looking at the experience of the last few years and the unique ways in which families with children have been impacted, we believe we have an obligation to give additional focus to how we reduce not just child food insecurity but racial disparities in child food insecurity.
Our work continues in collaboration with all those who fight so tirelessly to feed the hungry. We thank each of you for supporting that effort.
PROGRESS
Technology Working Group
Technology has the power to transform the way we interact with the world. The Technology Working Group is working to leverage the power of technology to better facilitate and maintain enrollment in nutrition assistance programs.
Co-chairs: Audra Wilson, Shriver Center; Tom Browning, Illinois Action for Children
RECOMMENDATIONS
* Objective: Create a simplified mobile-friendly application for SNAP to make it easier for people to apply for and maintain benefits
Progress Report: IDHS has taken first steps toward making the SNAP application and case management website mobile friendly. A mobile phone friendly application will expand access to those that may not have a personal computer or Wi-Fi. The Commission completed a survey of SNAP participants to better understand their access to and use of technology to help inform decisions about technology modernization in how individuals apply for and maintain benefits.
* Objective: Encourage school districts to provide electronic applications for free and reduced-price school meals to provide an alternative way for families to enroll in breakfast and lunch
Progress Report: The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) received funding to create a statewide online school meals application, which will streamline the application process ensuring easier application and processing for families and administrators. The Commission completed focus groups and a survey with parents of school-aged children to better understand how they currently apply for child nutrition programs and their preferences around program application to inform the development of a statewide online school meal application and other strategies to simplify the enrollment process for child nutrition programs.
* Objective: Leverage e-mail and texting platforms to facilitate communication with nutrition program clients about applications, appointments, and renewals
Progress Report: In 2022, the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) began using text and email to communicate with clients, creating greater reach to participants and increasing the likelihood of participants meeting important deadlines to maintain enrollment in nutrition benefits. Text and email communications will be used to remind people of upcoming interviews, needed paperwork, and application status.
TECHNOLOGY WORKING GROUP LOOK AHEAD
The Technology Working Group will continue to explore the individual experience of applying for and managing SNAP benefits online. To that end, the Working Group will be conducting focus groups with SNAP clients and conducting usability testing of the client-facing portal to learn more about barriers and challenges and identify ways to make online tools easier to use.
"If you would be able to upload documents yeah - I would prefer that - the application would go with your documents, it wouldn't get lost."
- focus group participant, Technology Working Group
In an effort to better understand Illinois SNAP participants' use of technology in how they apply for, maintain, and redeem benefits, the Commission reviewed the results of a recent survey, conducted by the Greater Chicago Food Depository, of nearly 200 SNAP participants in Cook County.
- 86% of survey participants rely primarily on smart phones to call, text, or access the internet
- 80% of all respondents indicated they had daily access to the internet for web browsing
- 63% of older adults participating in the survey had daily internet access
Key learnings include that over 86% of survey participants rely primarily on smart phones to call, text, or access the internet, underscoring the importance of mobile friendly websites for both sharing information about benefits and benefits applications. While 80 percent of all respondents indicated they had daily access to the internet for web browsing, just 63 percent of older adults participating in the survey had daily internet access, underscoring the importance of phone and in person methods of interaction with public benefits enrollment for older adults.
Innovation Working Group
To make sure we are meeting the needs of people facing hunger, the Innovation orking Group is striving to find new and better ways of connecting people with the food they need.
Co-chairs: Steve Ericson, Feeding Illinois; Amy Rynell, Active Transportation Aliance
RECOMMENDATIONS
* Objective: Leverage innovative delivery models for groceries and meals, such as online shopping, home delivery, and mobile markets
Progress Report: In Spring 2021, the Commission worked with the Illinois Retail Merchants Association to sponsor a briefing for retailers across Illinois to promote awareness of the SNAP online option and share information about how to apply to operate the program. This year, IDHS welcomed an additional 6 retailers to the SNAP online program, which allows SNAP participants to use their benefits to buy groceries online. With the addition of 6 new retailers, a combined 83 stores across Illinois will operate the expanded online grocery option for SNAP participants.
* Objective: Explore innovative ways to source nutritious food for the emergency food system while supporting Illinois agriculture
Progress Report: Innovation Working Group co-chair, Feeding Illinois, worked with key stakeholders to develop the Farm to Food Bank concept, a collaborative strategy aimed at better connecting Illinois producers to Illinois food banks. The program works to build connections between Illinois growers and producers and the emergency food system to support Illinois agriculture, feed hungry families, and reduce food waste.
* Objective: Secure and implement the Elderly Disabled Simplified Assistance Demonstration Project to make it easier for older adults and people with disabilities to apply for and recertify SNAP benefits
Progress Report: IDHS expects to begin implementing this Demonstration Project in December 2022. The policy change will extend the period within which eligible participants need to recertify and eliminates the annual eligibility interview requirement. The Commission is developing informational materials to help raise awareness about the policy change among older adults and the communitybased organizations that serve them. The Commission also sponsored webinars to provide technical assistance and training to community-based organizations across our state about the policy change.
INNOVATION WORKING GROUP LOOK AHEAD
The Innovation Working Group interviewed over 30 individual stakeholders to better understand the challenges and barriers to addressing hunger in Illinois communities. The workgroup has identified key themes and outlined strategic ways the working group could move the most promising innovative ideas forward. In addition, the Commission conducted focus groups and surveyed parents to understand barriers to participating in school meal programming and is working to develop strategies to better connect children to those programs.
PUSHING FOR BREAKFAST IN THE CLASSROOM POST-COVID
Mary Poole, Food Service Director at Benton School District, in Southern Illinois, has been advocating for serving breakfast in the classroom for a while, but like many people in her position, she faced pushback. But when COVID-19 hit, the district was forced to give meals in the classroom a shot to abide by social distancing regulations. Now, according to Mary, kids eat better. They have more time to eat and are going to the nurse less. Staff has figured out a way to minimize mess and get trash out of the classrooms and out of the building quickly. Classroom aides help supervise during lunch so teachers still get a break. Sure, it's a little more work, but Benton School District thinks it's worth it. s the pandemic urges a new wave of creativity for balancing in-school learning with safe and healthy practices, now may be the best time to encourage breakfast in the classroom.
"Research has shown that students are able to learn better when they're well-nourished. Eating healthy meals has been linked to higher grades, better memory, and higher test scores. I tell my staff always cook with love and we change children's lives one meal at a time. "
- Angel Warren-Perry, South Holland SD 150, Innovation Working Group
Collaboration Working Group
Ending hunger requires the efforts of multiple stakeholders. The Collaboration Working Group is working across agencies and community-based organizations to advance strategies that improve awareness of food assistance programs and ensure that all doors lead to the programs people need.
Co-chairs: Grace Hou, Illinois Department of Human Services; Jill Edelblute, YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago
RECOMMENDATIONS
* Objective: Coordinate on a public-private marketing campaign to educate consumers about nutrition programs, utilizing culturally competent communications
Progress Report: The Collaboration Working Group researched and identified populations that have underutilization of nutrition programs: older adults, families with young children, and mixed immigration status households. The Commission has convened advisory committees with expertise in the target populations and engaged a marketing firm to support the development of awareness and outreach materials. Over the last year, the firm has conducted "insights work" to better understand how to increase awareness and decrease stigma around nutrition assistance programs among the target populations.
* Objective: Create a one-stop, no wrong door entry point, for example a state 211 line or inter-agency website with comprehensive nutrition program eligibility and enrollment information and referrals to the emergency food system
Progress Report: The Commission mapped application questions across various public benefit programs to better understand areas of overlap and opportunities for creating a one-stop application for multiple public benefit programs. The Commission has also engaged in conversations with experts across the country to better understand opportunities to improve the online application environment in Illinois.
COLLABORATION WORKING GROUP LOOK AHEAD
The Collaboration Working Group will launch the statewide marketing campaign and be working with community-based organizations across our state to help distribute these materials.
"I didn't know I was eligible since I've never qualified for help in the past due to my status. Now that I have a newborn, I was happy to know caring people explained what benefits I might be eligible for, helped me apply for SNAP/LINK, and gave me WIC information over the phone. As a single mother, I don't have to struggle to decide whether to buy food or clothing for the baby anymore."
- Undocumented new mother, Collaboration Working Group
SPOTLIGHT
Child Hunger and Racial Disparities
Nearly one in eight children in Illinois live in food insecure households.
The COVID-19 pandemic increased the number of children experiencing hunger and deepened racial disparities. In the first year of the pandemic, nationally food insecurity increased among black households (19.1% to 21.7%) and Hispanic households (15.6% to 17.2%) but decreased among white households (7.9% to 7.1%). Hunger, especially when experienced in the early years, can have negative impacts on cognitive development and educational attainment as well as physical and mental health.1 Maternal prenatal nutrition and nutrition during a child's first 1,000 days of life are paramount in determining neurodevelopment, lifelong mental health, and child and adult physical health.2 Children who are food insecure experience more physical and mental health challenges, including exhibiting more behavioral issues.3 Children experiencing hunger are also more likely to receive mental health counseling than low-income children not experiencing hunger.4 Academically, food insecure children are less likely to perform well in school and more likely to have lower math scores and poorer grades.5 Further, children experiencing hunger are more likely to have to repeat a grade, receive special education services than lowincome children who do not experience hunger.6 As we strive to make Illinois the best place in the country to raise a family, its imperative that we reduce childhood hunger and close racial disparities in child hunger. Federal nutrition programs provide our youth with nutritional support from infancy to young adulthood. Unfortunately, many families who need food assistance do not utilize available programs. Some families may not be aware that they are eligible or know how to sign up; others face barriers to enrollment, or a program does not operate in their community.
As a result, Illinois children are significantly underutilizing important programs like WIC, school breakfast, and the summer meal program:
- 50% Roughly 1 in 2 eligible Illinoisans is enrolled in the WIC program, which serves pregnant and postpartum women and young children
- #37 Illinois is ranked 37th among states when it comes to school breakfast participation7
- 11% Only 1 in 9 low-income children who receive meal assistance during the school year also access meal assistance during the summer when school is out
Through the Roadmap to End Hunger in Illinois, the Illinois Commission to End Hunger has already begun working on important initiatives to better connect children to nutrition programs and the nutrition they need to thrive. As we enter 2023, we look forward to lifting up these strategies and other opportunities to make progress against child hunger and reduce racial disparities.
WORK GROUP MEMBERSHIP
Each work group consists of Commission members, representatives from communitybased organizations, and representatives from Illinois state agencies. Below is the full list of current work group members separated by work group focus areas: innovation, collaboration, and technology.
Technology Working Group
CO-CHAIRS
Audra Wilson, Shriver Center
Tom Browning, Illinois Action for Children
WORK GROUP MEMBERS
Diane Doherty, IL Hunger Coalition Carolyn Ross, AllChicago
John Herring, Network of Centers for Independent Living
Representative Lisa Hernandez, Illinois General Assembly
Josh Gibb, Galesburg Community Foundation
Olga Medina, IL Hunger Coalition
Beth Beachy, Illinois Action for Children
Andie Baker, EverThrive
Willie Gunther, IL Assistive Technology Project
Susan Stanton, Afterschool for Children and Teens Now (ACT Now) Coalition
Kim Drew, Heartland Alliance
Cory Blissett, Illinois Department of Human Services
Bryan Finn, Illinois Department of Human Services
Jamie McCoy, Illinois Department of Human Services
Angie Imhoff, Illinois Department of Human Services
Stephanie Bess, Illinois Department of Human Services
Sophie Milam, Greater Chicago Food Depository
Kelsie Kilner, Greater Chicago Food Depository
Christina Obregon, Greater Chicago Food Depository
Roxanne Ramage, Illinois State Board of Education
Megan Kuchar, Illinois State Board of Education
Innovation Working Group
CO-CHAIRS
Steve Ericson, Feeding Illinois
Amy Rynell, Active Transportation Alliance
WORK GROUP MEMBERS
Rob Karr, IRMA
Mayor Robert Eastern, City of East St. Louis
Jonathan Lavin, Formerly with Age Options
Rob Baren, Illinois Department of Agriculture
Ted Penesis, Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Representative Charles Meier, Illinois General Assembly
Angela Odoms-Young, Cornell University (formerly University of Illinois Chicago)
Senator Mattie Hunter, Illinois General Assembly
April Janney, IL Action for Children
Janie Maxwell, Illinois Farmers Market Association
Kathryn Berstein, Illinois Public Health Institute
Meghan Gibbons, Valley View School District 365
Stephen Miller, Liberty Apple Orchard
Krysten Emanuel, Start Early
Melvin Kim, J.R. Albert Foundation
Jennifer Lamplough, Northern Illinois Food Bank
Nicole Hawkins, St. Louis Area Food Bank
Dulce Ortiz, Mano a Mano Family Resource Center (Round Lake Park)
Cory Blissett, Illinois Department of Human Services
Kasey Reagan, Illinois Department of Human Services
Terri Vaniter, Illinois Department of Human Services
Sam Tuttle, Greater Chicago Food Depository
Sara Bechtold Medema, Greater Chicago Food Depository
Monique Batteast, Greater Chicago Food Depository
Dean Held, Illinois State Board of Education
Paula Williams, Illinois State Board of Education
Shaista Shaikh, Illinois State Board of Education
Collaboration Working Group
CO-CHAIRS
Secretary Grace Hou, Illinois Department of Human Services
Jill Edelblute, YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago
WORK GROUP MEMBERS
Paula Basta, Illinois Department on Aging
Gina Cleggs, Catholic Charities
Marc Smith, Illinois Department of Children and Family Services
Jenny Aguirre, Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services
Luvia Quinones, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
Mark Haller, Illinois State Board of Education
Robert Biekman
Senator Sue Rezin, Illinois General Assembly
Niya Kelly, Chicago Coalition for the Homeless
Katharine Gricevich, Illinois Student Assistance Commission
Derrick Booth, Wrap Around Center
Leslie Cully, Illinois Department of Human Services
Angie Imhoff, Illinois Department of Human Services
Stephanie Bess, Illinois Department of Human Services
Colleen Burns, Greater Chicago Food Depository
Lindsay Blough, Illinois State Board of Education
CONTACT
Please feel free to reach out to our team for additional information regarding the Illinois Commission to End Hunger:
Commission to End Hunger, ICTEH@gcfd.org
Colleen Burns, State Engagement and Innovation Lead, cburns@gcfd.org
Ruby Larson, Associate Manager of Policy, rlarson@gcfd.org
1 Child Food Insecurity: The Economic Impact on our Nation, Feeding America https://www.nokidhungry.org/sites/default/files/child-economy-study.pdf
2 Schwarzenberg, Sarah Jane, and Michael K. Georgieff. "Advocacy for Improving Nutrition in the First 1000 Days to Support Childhood Development and Adult Health." Pediatrics 141, no. 2 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2017-3716.
3 Food Insecurity And Health Outcomes, Gundersen, C. and Ziliak, J. Health Affairs. 2015 Nov;34(11):1830-9 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26526240/
4 Food Research and Action Center, Research Brief: Breakfast for Learning https://frac.org/wp-content/uploads/breakfastforlearning-1.pdf
5 Food Insecurity And Health Outcomes, Gundersen, C. and Ziliak, J. Health Affairs. 2015 Nov;34(11):1830-9 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26526240/
6 Food Research and Action Center, Research Brief: Breakfast for Learning https://frac.org/wp-content/uploads/breakfastforlearning-1.pdf
7 Greater Chicago Food Depository analysis of https://frac.org/wp-content/uploads/SchoolMealsReport2022.pdf Table 5
