The one-time FRESH payment goes directly to the household’s Illinois Link card. Illinois calculates the amount per eligible person, and residents do not need to apply or submit paperwork.
Illinois began sending one-time $400 payments on Aug. 1 to eligible residents who lost some or all of their SNAP benefits because they did not meet federal work requirements.
The state created Families Receiving Emergency Support for Hunger, or FRESH, to help those residents. Illinois uses existing benefit records to identify who qualifies and places the money on the household’s Link card as a cash benefit.
- Payment: Each eligible household member receives $400 once.
- Application: Residents do not need to complete a form or provide more documents.
- Delivery: Illinois adds the money automatically to the household’s Link card.
Households can receive more than $400
The payment applies to each eligible person, not just once per household. A household with two eligible members receives $800. Three eligible members receive a total of $1,200.
Each household member must qualify separately. FRESH provides only one payment per eligible person, and the money does not restore monthly SNAP benefits.
Cardholders can spend the cash benefit at participating businesses that accept Illinois Link. They can also withdraw the money from an ATM that accepts the card.
However, FRESH does not provide a second payment if someone loses SNAP again because of the federal work rule.
Eligibility depends on SNAP work requirements
FRESH does not cover everyone who lost SNAP. Only residents affected by the federal work requirement can qualify.
To receive the payment, a person must:
- Have lost some or all SNAP benefits on or after May 1, 2026, for failing to meet the federal work requirement.
- Have used all three months of SNAP allowed without meeting the rule or qualifying for an exemption.
- Still lack active SNAP benefits when Illinois reviews the case.
- Have never received a FRESH payment.
Illinois does not extend FRESH eligibility to residents who lost SNAP for another reason. People enrolled in the State Food program also do not qualify.
Federal changes that took effect Feb. 1 expanded the groups subject to SNAP time limits. The rule now covers adults ages 55 to 64 without disabilities and adults with children ages 14 or older at home.
People subject to the rule can generally receive SNAP for only three months within a three-year period unless they meet the requirement through work, training or volunteer service. An approved exemption can also allow them to keep their benefits.
Related coverage: 150,000 Illinois households were at risk of losing SNAP benefits beginning May 1.
Illinois will continue issuing payments monthly
Illinois sent the first payments on Aug. 1 to eligible residents who lost SNAP in May, June or July.
For SNAP losses beginning in August, the state will check each person’s status on the 16th day of the month. If that person remains ineligible because of the work requirement, Illinois will send the FRESH payment by the 16th day of the following month.
The program will continue through June 30, 2027, or until its funding runs out. IDHS will also mail a notice to households that receive a payment.
FRESH funds do not count toward the income or resource limits for TANF, AABD Cash or Medicaid.
Residents who no longer have their Link card can request a replacement through EBTedge or call the Illinois Link hotline at 1-800-678-LINK (5465).
For questions about eligibility or a missing payment, call the IDHS Customer Helpline at 1-800-843-6154 or contact a local Family Community Resource Center.
Readers can find eligibility details, work-rule resources and program updates through the Illinois SNAP Federal Impact Center.
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