York Township is raising donations for its food pantry at a free community event on Sunday, June 28, as federal cuts to food assistance push more people toward local resources.

The America250 Food Pantry Benefit runs noon to 7 p.m. at Knolls Park, 1502 S. Meyers Road, Lombard. The event includes live music, food trucks, a touch-a-truck area, children's activities, local vendors, and a beer garden. Admission is free; the township is accepting donations for its pantry.

The event comes as federal food-assistance reductions ripple into local pantries. Nationally, more than 4.7 million people have lost Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits since the One Big Beautiful Bill Act was signed into law in July 2025, according to USDA data through March 2026 reported by Reuters. The Congressional Budget Office estimated the law cuts $187 billion from SNAP over 10 years. It expanded work requirements to adults ages 55 through 64, parents of children 14 and older, veterans, and homeless individuals. Illinois lost its statewide SNAP work-requirement waiver under the legislation, according to CNBC.

York Township said in its event announcement that its Food Pantry "has experienced this need firsthand" but did not provide figures on how local demand has changed since the federal cuts took effect.

Joseph Llobrera, senior director of research on the food assistance team at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, told CNBC that households are being cut off because of increased paperwork requirements, saying people "are getting cut off because they can't get through, their paperwork isn't being approved, or they're being improperly denied."

The York Township Food Pantry operates year-round at the same Meyers Road address, open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Residents must show proof of township residency and meet Illinois Department of Human Services income guidelines. A household of four qualifies with monthly gross income at or below $7,800.

York Township serves Elmhurst, Lombard, Villa Park, Oak Brook, Oakbrook Terrace, and portions of Downers Grove, Glen Ellyn, Hinsdale, and Westmont.

Residents who cannot attend Sunday's event can contact the township at 630-620-2400 or visit yorktwsp.com.