HARNESSING INNOVATION

To make sure we are meeting the needs of people facing hunger, we should constantly strive to find new and better ways of connecting people with the food they need.

We must re-envision what food assistance looks like by piloting a diverse set of strategies for improving food access in underserved rural and urban areas and fully leveraging policy innovation in program delivery.

State agencies, community-based organizations, and food retailers should work together to advance best practices and pilot innovative strategies to improve overall food access, including access to nutrition programs, the emergency food system, and food retail.

The Innovation Working Group is working to identify and advance opportunities to innovate around access and delivery of nutrition assistance programs, food pantries, and food retail. Two important areas for innovation are the implementation of federal nutrition programs and improving food access.

WORK GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS

Secure federal policy waiver to allow state Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) outreach plan partners to record client signatures by phone to facilitate phone applications
Increase the number of schools operating flexible Breakfast After the Bell program models to make it easier for low‐income children to access breakfast at school
Increase the number of SNAP retailers offering SNAP online to make the option available to more SNAP clients and overcome barriers for retailers and clients seeking to utilize SNAP online
Secure and implement the Elderly Simplified Assistance Demonstration Projects
Identify and shepherd innovative access and delivery models for groceries and meals, food retail, food pantries, and nutrition assistance programs

PROGRESS

Secure USDA approval and implement the SNAP Elderly Simplified Redetermination Demonstration Projects to make it easier for older adults to maintain enrollment in SNAP.

A recent policy change in Illinois allows SNAP participants to redeem their benefits online, not just for in-store transactions. The Innovation Working Group hosted a briefing for retailers interested in joining the program to expand SNAP online within Illinois and increase equitable access to groceries. In addition, the Working Group is analyzing survey results conducted with SNAP clients to understand barriers to utilization and will issue recommendations later this year.

Innovation Work Group

Amy Rynell*
Active Transportation Alliance
Steve Ericson*
Feeding Illinois
Rob Karr
IRMA
Jonathan Lavin
Age Options (retired)
Mayor Robert Eastern
City of East St. Louis
Representative Charles Meier
Illinois General Assembly
Angela Odoms-Young
Cornell University (formerly University of Illinois Chicago)
Senator Mattie Hunter
Illinois General Assembly
April Janney
IL Action for Children
Janie Maxwell
Illinois Farmers Market Association
Kathryn Berstein
Illinois Public Health Institute
Meghan Gibbons
Valley View School District 365
Stephen Miller
Liberty Apple Orchard
Krysten Emanuel
Start Early
Melvin Kim
J.R. Albert Foundation
Jennifer Lamplough
Northern Illinois Food Bank
Nicole Hawkins
St. Louis Area Food Bank
Dulce Ortiz
Mano a Mano Family Resource Center (Round Lake Park)
Cory Blissett
Illinois Department of Human Services
Kasey Reagan
Illinois Department of Human Services
Terri Vaniter
Illinois Department of Human Services
Sam Tuttle
Greater Chicago Food Depository
Sara Bechtold Medema
Greater Chicago Food Depository
Monique Batteast
Greater Chicago Food Depository
Dean Held
Illinois State Board of Education
Paula Williams
Illinois State Board of Education
Shaista Shaikh
Illinois State Board of Education
Jeramie Strickland
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Tyler Bohannon
Illinois Department of Agriculture
*Co-chair