There are a lot of people in this city who depend on federal assistance in order to feed there families. According to the Illinois Department of Human Services, a family of four can get up to $668 a month for groceries through the supplemental nutrition assistance program. Yet many Chicagoans don’t actually qualify for food subsidies or find the bureaucracy of the system is an obstacle to get food on the table.

Food banks have become an important source of meals for many low-income residents in Chicago. Pastor Lucy Guerrero runs Faithworld International, a food bank on the city’s west side. She says they see a lot of people who are receiving food stamps who still need to turn to the pantry for help.