Chicago City Wire

Ten welfare offices in Chicago saw food stamp costs drop by an average of 11.4 percent from January 2015 to January 2017, according to a Chicago City Wire analysis of 66 Illinois welfare offices.

The cost of food stamp participation dropped by nearly $30 million as 156,653 people left food stamp rolls in Illinois counties over two years, according to data obtained from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which administers the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps.

Illinois welfare offices are operated by the Illinois Department of Human Services, formerly known as the Illinois Department of Public Aid. 

The welfare office in South Loop reported the highest percentage drop in costs citywide: a 17.75 percent change over the two-year period. The welfare office in Humboldt Park registered the greatest overall change in costs: a reduction of nearly $1.5 million over two years..

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Cost changes for food stamp program in Chicago

Welfare Office	County	Change in participation	Cost January 2015	Cost January 2017	Change in cost ($)	Change in cost (%)
Chicago - South Loop	Cook	-15.15%	$5,002,846	$4,114,876	-$887,970	-17.75%
Chicago - East Garfield Park	Cook	-12.76%	$5,591,106	$4,703,742	-$887,364	-15.87%
Chicago - Uptown	Cook	-11.13%	$3,650,648	$3,131,535	-$519,113	-14.22%
Chicago - Englewood	Cook	-10.93%	$10,641,643	$9,241,294	-$1,400,349	-13.16%
Chicago - Back of the Yards	Cook	-10.45%	$10,563,864	$9,237,909	-$1,325,955	-12.55%
Chicago - Humboldt Park	Cook	-9.63%	$11,892,028	$10,425,417	-$1,466,611	-12.33%
Chicago - North Lawndale	Cook	-8.60%	$6,352,454	$5,642,156	-$710,298	-11.18%
Chicago - Roseland	Cook	-8.50%	$6,899,166	$6,217,209	-$681,957	-9.88%
Chicago - Chatham	Cook	-5.20%	$10,621,742	$9,985,517	-$636,225	-5.99%
Chicago - Woodlawn	Cook	-2.91%	$7,049,463	$6,651,407	-$398,056	-5.65%

Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture