Nine cents.

That’s how much an Evanston mom has left on her SNAP (food stamps) card right now.

The woman says she usually gets about $500 put on that card on the 6th of every month, for herself and her five-year-old daughter. But with SNAP benefits on hold during the government shutdown, this month’s payment has not come through.

The woman and her child were at the annual “Winter Warmth” event on Saturday morning, a coat-and-other-winter-item giveaway run by Connections for the Homeless, at Lake Street Church.

We are not revealing the mom’s name, because she and her child are Hispanic, and she’s “nervous about ICE.”

Individuals used to line up here, outside the church. But this year, the waiting area was moved inside. Credit: Jeff Hirsh

Fear of immigration raids is why Connections moved the waiting line from outside in front of the church, where it was in previous years, to inside the building.

“We didn’t feel it was safe” for people to stand outside, says Eric Ruder, communications director for Connections.

Eli Cooper-Nelson, in-kind donations manager at the agency, says that some case workers have been picking up coats to bring directly to clients, so those individuals “don’t have to come in person.”

Besides the demand for winter clothing, Connections is also seeing a huge jump in the need for food, because of SNAP dollars not reaching those who normally receive the assistance.

Cooper-Nelson says the agency used to see about 70-100 people per week at its food pantries.

Connections’ Eli Cooper-Nelson, at food pantry in Hilda’s Place drop-in center, Lake Street Church. Credit: Jeff Hirsh

Now, he says, they’re seeing that many each day.

Another individual, named Desiree, was at the clothing distribution on Saturday morning.

Her SNAP card usually gets replenished with funds on the 12th of the month, so she’s not sure what’s going to happen.

“I disagree with everything that’s going on,” she said.

“Elderly people are suffering.”:

The “Winter Warmth” even is also being hit by President Donald Trump’s tariffs on goods manufactured overseas.

Betty Bogg, Connections’ executive director, says that in years gone by, the Chicago-based Logan Foundation has provided hundreds of pairs of boots that were made in China.

But, Boggs says, “the tariffs made it harder for them to source items,”

Ruder, the Connections spokesperson, says “the tariffs threw a huge wrench in their operations,” with costs for boots jumping so much that it was not financially feasible for the Foundation to provide them this year.

And Connections had run out of gloves at the event by two hours in to the four-hour event.

All of the distributed items are new, and are donated.

The total count on how many people showed up still has to be calculated, but it’s run about 600-700 in previous year.

Credit: Jeff Hirsh

This year, it may be higher … and if you include those going to food pantries due to the SNAP situation, needing warm food is right up there with needing warm clothing.

“We’re seeing people coming in who’ve never come before,” says Cooper-Nelson.

“People who didn’t otherwise have the need do have it now. To me, it’s pretty dehumanizing.”

But, Cooper-Nelson adds, there’s also a positive message here.

“We’ve seen our neighbors rise to the call” with donations.

“It’s given me hope.”

If you want to donate or volunteer, go to connect2home.org/snap.

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