Jeanne Ives, founder of Breakthrough Ideas, has expressed concerns about Illinois public universities enrolling students in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). She argued that the program should provide limited relief rather than permanent support. Ives made these statements on X.
“In Illinois, public universities are screening students for eligibility for SNAP benefits,” said Ives. “This is abuse of the program. SNAP should be a limited relief benefit and not a lifetime one.”
Illinois public universities have increased their efforts to assist eligible students in enrolling in SNAP. According to state guidelines, students participating in work-study programs, career programs, or working at least 20 hours per week are now eligible for benefits. This information was reported by the Chicago Tribune.
According to a 2023 report by WGLT, nearly 4,000 students at Illinois State University received SNAP benefits. State officials estimate that tens of thousands of college students across Illinois have become newly eligible following recent changes in eligibility rules.
A study conducted by the Hope Center in 2022 and cited by the Chronicle of Higher Education found that most college students using SNAP nationally receive benefits for approximately six months. In Illinois, students experience a similar or slightly shorter usage period due to active campus outreach and rapid employment turnover.
As profiled by Ballotpedia, Jeanne Ives is not only the founder of Breakthrough Ideas but also a former Illinois State Representative from 2013 to 2019. She was a gubernatorial candidate in 2018 and is known as a prominent advocate for fiscal conservatism and education reform.
