US SNAP Benefit Cuts Hit Arizona and Illinois Families

Arizona has lost more than 457,000 SNAP participants in the past year, a drop of almost 50% that includes roughly 196,000 children. The decline follows new federal rules that tighten work‑hour requirements and cut program funding by about 17%, prompting food banks to serve more people than the official enrollment figures show.

In Illinois, the state responded by launching the Families Receiving Emergency Support for Hunger (FRESH) program, providing a one‑time $400 payment to each eligible household member. The initiative targets roughly 100,000 families who were removed from SNAP because they could not meet the new 80‑hour monthly work, volunteer, or training requirement. Payments began on August 1 via Illinois Link cards, and no additional application is required.