Francisco Avila and Olivia Lerma, Blue Island residents with five children, said that since losing access to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program due to the federal government shutdown, they are faced with choosing between paying for rent or paying to have food on the table.

The couple, married for 27 years, said when they first moved to Illinois 24 years ago, they lived out of their car. Now, they have been residents of a tight-knit, mobile home community in Blue Island for nearly three years. They attend a free taco event Tuesday in Blue Island, saying the loss of SNAP benefits hit home.

The Illinois Department of Human Services said Oct. 30 the U.S. Department of Agriculture will not fund the SNAP program, otherwise known as food stamps, starting Nov. 1 until there’s an end to

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