The Department of Human Services administers SNAP in Illinois, which helps low-income households purchase the food they need for good health. Illinois SNAP recipients can expect their benefit payments to be deposited monthly on the Illinois Link Card.

                By                    Josephine Nesbit

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Link Cards are issued once approved for benefits from the Illinois DHS. The Illinois Link Card is accepted at most grocery stores and over 9,000 retailers in Illinois. Look for a display of the Illinois Link card or a sign that says “Illinois Link accepted here.”

Illinois has also elected to participate in the Restaurant Meals Program, or RMP. RMP allows certain SNAP recipients who might not be able to prepare meals for themselves to purchase meals at participating restaurants. Not every restaurant is part of RMP, so make sure to call and ask before attempting to purchase a meal with your Link Card.

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The date on which payments are deposited onto your Link Card depends on the last number of your case number. If you had a SNAP case that was converted from a legacy case, you will keep your legacy availability date of either the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 13th, 17th or 20th.

Benefits for new cases are deposited between the 1st and 10th of every month. The date you receive benefits depends on the last digit of the head of household’s individual identification number.

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Here is the September 2022 deposit schedule for new cases on the Link system:

Regular roll benefits are available by 3:00 a.m. on the same date every month, including holidays and weekends.

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