ILLINOIS HUNGER COALITION

The Illinois Hunger Coalition (IHC), founded in 1988, is the only statewide membership organization that works to end hunger and address the underlying causes. IHC has offices in Chicago and Williamson County, IL. IHC operates a bilingual Hunger Hotline, 1-800-359-2163 which assists callers with applying for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP (formerly known as Food Stamps), All Kids, Medicaid, Medicare, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). The Hunger Hotline also offers referrals to food pantries, federal nutrition programs, child care, housing assistance, and other resources in their community. IHC organizes to ensure that residents have a voice in their own communities through leadership development. IHC's current organizing agenda includes advocating for an equitable budget and maintaining revenue to support a vital social safety net, including SNAP and Medicaid. IHC advocates for meaningful job training programs linked to living wage jobs, and expanding eligibility for SNAP benefits to low-income college students. IHC works tirelessly to combat the regressive agenda to restrict SNAP eligibility for 18-49 year old, able-bodied, unemployed adults without dependent children that are struggling to find work in this difficult economy and to fight cuts to programs that protect vulnerable groups such as the mentally ill, the homeless, and ex-offenders. IHC also works to increase participation in and access to the federal child nutrition programs in Illinois including School Breakfast, Summer Meals, the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and WIC. IHC assists schools with starting or expanding their breakfast programs by connecting them with grants and resources, providing technical assistance, and working with each school to develop a breakfast program that fits their needs and school culture. IHC's Hunger Hotline serves as the statewide phone number for families to call to find a Summer Meals site near them. IHC also assists interested community and nonprofit organizations, churches, libraries, and park districts in becoming a Summer or At-Risk Afterschool Meals site and promoting their site within the community. Through the Hunger Hotline and partnerships with community groups and agencies across the state, IHC educates communities about WIC.