The number of Illinois households receiving food stamps has reached a record level, with almost 1.3 million people relying on the program to pay for daily staples such as milk, bread and eggs.
State officials on Thursday said there might be a link between the increase and constantly rising food, gas and energy prices. Aid groups warned there are many more in need.
"Families are running into financial difficulties," said Marielle Sainvilus with the Illinois Department of Human Services, which administers the food stamp program. "We don't have hard-core evidence to say it's directly linked to the economy. But it makes sense because people are paying more for almost everything, but they aren't being paid more."
A total of 592,390 households across Illinois received food stamps in March. That's up from 571,148 during March last year, according to the agency.
And while those receiving food stamps has steadily increased over the last five years, Sainvilus said the department is alarmed by what it considers a dramatic jump in demand in the last few months. Sainvilus couldn't provide a month-by-month breakdown of distribution of food stamps for this year.