Food and Medical Benefits Assistance

We provide benefits assistance for food and more. Our Benefits Outreach team helps people in Cook County with SNAP (food stamps), Medicaid, and other public benefits programs.

Three Ways to Get Help

1. Apply with the State of Illinois

If you have computer access, you can apply for SNAP and Medicaid benefits online using the state’s website. Visit the Illinois Application for Benefits Eligibility (ABE) to apply online.

Apply Online

2. Fill out our form and we’ll call you.

Answer a few questions and we will call you Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

Fill Out the Form

3. Call us now

Call us for a short, free, confidential interview. We will help you through every step of the process. Our Benefits Hotline is available Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m: 773-843-5416

Call the Hotline

Benefits Assistance

Need help applying for SNAP or Medicaid benefits?

Call us at 773-843-5416 for a short, free, confidential interview. We will help you through every step of the process: determining your eligibility, applying for benefits, recertifying your eligibility, and managing your case.

Need assistance with other kinds of benefits?

We can also help identify whether you may be eligible for other benefits. These benefits include:
Benefits for Women, Infants and Children (WIC)
Assistance with electricity and heating (LIHEAP)
Tax credits (EITC)
While we cannot process your application for these programs, we can tell you the closest place to apply. Call our Benefits Hotline at 773-843-5416 for more information.

Our Benefits Hotline is open Monday through Friday between 8:30am and 5:00pm. Calls received outside of that window will be returned within 48 hours.

Privacy Note: The Food Depository respects your privacy. We only share the information you give us with the Illinois Department of Human Services to help process your benefits. We never share information with any immigration or law enforcement agencies.

Here’s How We Help

Public benefits help people afford healthy food and overcome poverty. Our Benefits Outreach team works in the community to increase access to benefits:

We train staff at food pantries and shelters to provide SNAP application assistance.
We work with local partners like schools and healthcare providers to raise awareness of benefits.
We help people find out if they’re eligible for benefits at special events like community fairs and Veterans Stand Down.
We provide general training on SNAP for community organizations.

SNAP Allotment Increase

Beginning October 1, 2021, SNAP benefits will increase as a result of an update to the Thrifty Food Plan (TFP) which is used to calculate the cost of groceries needed to provide a healthy, budget-conscious diet for a family of four.

The USDA estimates that SNAP participating households will receive an increase in their SNAP benefits of, on average, $36 per person per month, or about $1.20 per person per day.

The USDA will now conduct similar TFP reevaluations every five years. Although this does not guarantee
benefit amounts will continue to change, this practice will provide a more accurate picture of what a
nutritious, practical and economical diet really costs.

If you have any questions, call the Food Depository’s Benefits Outreach Team at 773-843-5416.

Thanks to National Council on Aging for their partnership in our outreach to older adults.