Food Access

Illinois Nutrition Education Programs (INEP) provide nutrition education to individuals and families in communities around the state of Illinois. This program is provided as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed).

By providing easy solutions through in-person lessons and online resources, this program makes the healthy choice an easy choice where families eat, learn, live, shop, and play. Programs are based on current research and engage learners in practical, hands-on classes and activities.

The Health and Local Foods Committee was formed to address the issues of our communities with a more informed scope from our partner council members. Our partners help in informing us of the current and future needs in our communities relating to health and local foods. This allows us to provide program opportunities to address these needs as they arise.

Interested in learning more? Contact one of our local staff members below.

Food access sites in Illinois

Find places in your community offering free food or meals. You can also find stores and markets that accept SNAP/LINK or WIC coupons. Plus, see the DHS or WIC office nearest to you.

Encouraging active lifestyles

Ogle County SNAP-Ed community worker, Brianne Gugerty, encourages local students to make healthy choices at her Eat.Move.Save. program.

Let's create a collaborative network of food system support.

Illinois has $28M to support local farmers and fight hunger in Illinois through USDA's Local Food Purchasing Assistance (LFPA) program. LFPA aims to strengthen the Illinois food system over the next two years by purchasing food at fair market value from socially disadvantaged growers and producers. The best part? Community member in need will receive the food at no cost. Illinois is committed to sourcing 100% of LFPA products from socially disadvantaged growers and producers and ensuring culturally responsive, locally-grown foods are accessible to food-insecure communities.

Food safety and disasters.

Be prepared Cleaning the kitchen

Food Safety

It is important to know what to do with perishable foods when long-term outages happen.

Food safety during power outages

Boil Orders

Boil-water advisories are public announcements by local water authorities advising the public to boil their tap water for drinking and other human consumption uses.

Boil orders