New Resource for Food and Nutrition Advocates

Guest author Stephani Becker, Health & Disability Advocates, Chicago, Illinois. Food and nutrition advocates in Illinois have been working with the Chicago Region of the Social Security Administration since January to improve the joint processing of SSI and food stamps at its local offices. View their fact sheet describing what consumers and caseworkers need to know before going to a local Social Security Administration office to apply for SSI and food stamps.

By Stephani Becker, Health & Disability Advocates, Chicago, Illinois

Health & Disability Advocates collaborated with several other Illinois advocacy partners, the Chicago Region of the Social Security Administration, and the Illinois Department of Human Services to develop a fact sheet to help improve food security and enhance nutrition for low-income people with chronic health conditions.

Traditionally, seniors and people with disabilities have had low food stamp participation. Despite categorical eligibility, the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) population (i.e., the aged, blind or disabled) has not utilized the Food Stamp Program to the fullest extent possible. We believe that the contact point at which a client applies for SSI offers a critical opportunity to increase participation in the Food Stamp Program and enhance nutrition among this population.

Since January, food and nutrition advocates in Illinois have been working with the Chicago Region of the Social Security Administration to improve the joint processing of SSI and food stamps at its local offices. The Social Security Administration notified all local offices in the region (including Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin) of their responsibility to invite SSI-only households to apply for food stamps. The agency also met with advocates and the Illinois Department of Human Services to work on tracking food stamp applications taken at Illinois Social Security Administration offices and to ensure that such offices are well equipped to handle these applications. Advocates will continue to work with the Social Security Administration and the Illinois Department of Human Services in order to provide food stamp assistance to low-income disabled and elderly people.

The fact sheet describes what consumers and caseworkers need to know before going to a local Social Security Administration office to apply for SSI and food stamps. If you have any questions, contact Stephani Becker at Health & Disability Advocates, sbecker@hdadvocates.org (312.223.9600), or Jessica Terlikowski at the AIDS Foundation of Chicago, JTerlikowski@aidschicago.org (312.334.0931).

Click here to view this fact sheet. Note: Adobe Acrobat Required.