Now in its third week, the ongoing federal government shutdown will likely delay food benefits for millions of Californians — prompting Gov. Gavin Newsom to set aside $80 million in state support and deploy the California National Guard to assist food banks.
The governor unveiled the move today, days after the California Department of Social Services began notifying counties to prepare for the possibility that federally-funded food benefits, known as CalFresh in California, could be disrupted. Without federal intervention or the shutdown ending by Thursday, about 5.5 million low-income Californians enrolled in the program would likely not receive assistance for November — including nearly 3.5 million children and senior citizens.
- Newsom, in a statement: “(President Donald) Trump’s failure isn’t abstract — it’s literally taking food out of people’s mouths. This is serious, this is urgent — and requires immediate action.”
California issues about $1.1 billion in CalFresh benefits every month. Though benefits for October have already been distributed, those who applied to the program between Oct. 16 through Oct. 31 would not receive assistance for the second-half of the month, as well as November.
Recipients of California’s separate food benefits program for eligible noncitizens who can’t receive federal aid, known as the California Food Assistance Program, should also expect delays.
- Angela Shing, former director of Santa Clara County’s department of employment and benefit services, which oversees CalFresh for the county: “The majority of people who are on benefits, generally speaking, are the elderly and children. Most people who are on benefits are working, and working more than one job. A lot of people don’t realize that. With a shutdown like this, it comes down to choices like, ‘Can I pay the rent? Or can I scrap together putting food on the table?’”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, which oversees the federal benefit program, did not respond to a request for comment. Instead, it sent a copy of a memo it issued to state agencies on Oct. 10, notifying them of insufficient funds for November.
Last week, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins posted on social media that the lack of appropriated funds was due to Democrats “putting free health care for illegal aliens and their political agenda ahead of food security for American families.”
Rollins is referring to Republicans’ claims that Democratic congressional leaders are responsible for the shutdown because they want free health coverage for immigrants without legal status. This is false. Democrats are calling for the rollback of Medicaid cuts included in Trump’s spending bill, and the extension of subsidies used by most Affordable Care Act enrollees.
In 2023, nearly a quarter of California households experienced some food insecurity, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. In San Diego County — which has the highest military population in the state — local food banks are adding pop-up food banks due to the shutdown to help combat food insecurity among the county’s armed service members and federal employees.
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