The 25,000 Illinois residents and families shocked by the sudden cancellation of their food stamps will see those benefits restored in time for Christmas.
The Illinois Department of Human Services announced Thursday that Link cards, which serve as a sort of debit card for food stamps, will be loaded with credit Thursday or Friday.
Agency officials say it's no temporary fix, as they insist there is no underlying problem with a new computer system that's used to manage the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
But DHS front-line staff say the system rolled out in late October is rife with glitches. They say the system unnecessarily knocked clients off of SNAP, and that in turn has their offices crowded with frustrated and sometimes angry customers.
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Why 25K SNAP Recipients Are Suddenly Without Food Stamps
Dec. 18: Individuals often drift in and out of the SNAP system intermittently, but the number who suddenly lost benefits spiked last month to 41,000 after recipients apparently missed a Nov. 5 deadline.
