The State of Illinois administers the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) which helps low-income individuals obtain proper access to food and nutrition.

States must also provide employment and training services (E&T) to SNAP program participants. The SNAP JP/SNAP to Success is a program to help customers acquire education and employment related skills and to assist in finding and maintaining employment and is a federally funded SNAP E&T program. The program also helps customers with work-related expenses and continued case management for 90 days after obtaining a job, through their participation in SNAP E&T.

Participation in SNAP E&T enables participants to gain education, work skills and work experience, to meet the federal work requirement, and to improve self-sufficiency. The purpose of SNAP E&T is to help individuals receiving SNAP benefits obtain employment through participation in supervised job search, skills training, education and work-based learning activities that lead to greater independence and self-sufficiency. The program is open to any SNAP recipient who volunteers to participate in SNAP E&T to improve their skills or advance in their career.

The program delivers services through grants and a third-party reimbursement model, which consists of contractual partnerships between the State of Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS) and community-based organizations (CBOs).

Individuals will participate in specific components based upon their individual assessments, identifying strengths and areas for development. All individuals who participate in the SNAP JP/SNAP to Success program must participate in an approved, appropriate component based on their individual assessment and receive case management. Approved components include:
Supervised Job Search
Job Search Training
Job Retention
Education (Basic Education, Vocational Training, English Language Acquisition, Work Readiness Training)
Work Experience (Internship, On-The-Job-Training, Pre-Apprenticeship, Apprenticeship)