As nearly 2 million Illinois residents prepare to lose federal food assistance Saturday amid the government shutdown, Gov. Pritzker signed an executive order Thursday directing $20 million toward food banks across the state.

Over 500 people sought out free food distributed Saturday morning as federal assistance programs remain in limbo.

It’s making a big impact, choosing between bills and foods," said Charlene Echoles, a Humboldt Park mother of three who is trying to figure out how to survive without SNAP during the shutdown.

There is someone in Tinley Park who is rolling up his sleeves to help fill a need. He's planning a food giveaway this weekend to feed more than 150 families. He's bright. He's kind, and he's only 7 years old.

An 8-year-old Chicago boy is giving back for his birthday by feeding 150 families Saturday in a food drive. Alex Anning wasn’t looking forward to presents or cake for his birthday

Bally’s has picked Levy, the Chicago-based hospitality group behind Wrigley Field dining, to operate restaurants at its upcoming Chicago Casino Resort in River West.

Food banks and food pantries across Illinois and in the Chicago area need the public's help more than ever as they brace for a massive surge in demand when SNAP benefits lapse Saturday.

The ongoing federal government shutdown could end food stamp coverage for millions of Americans on Saturday, and farmers are among those bracing for the impact.