Lea este artículo en español aquí.
Editors’ Note: Following an Oct. 31 federal court ruling that SNAP benefits must be paid during shutdown it is unclear if or when benefits will be issued in November and beyond.
San Benito County has notified local residents that CalFresh food assistance is ending on Nov. 1 while the federal government shutdown continues. In the program’s absence, county officials are recommending that locals who rely on the program seek help through other resources such as the Community FoodBank of San Benito County.
In a news release from the San Benito County Health and Human Services agency, which issues CalFresh benefits, Director Tracy Belton said, “While we are hopeful that federal funding will be restored quickly, we must prepare our community for all outcomes. CalFresh is a vital lifeline for many families, older adults and children in San Benito County. We encourage all recipients to monitor their EBT accounts and seek alternative support now to ensure continuity of food access.”
The county also provided a list of resources including the food bank and 211 San Benito, which can guide residents to resources for nutrition and other needs.
Community Food Bank executive director Antonio Mendoza told BenitoLink he has seen an increase in the number of people applying and recertifying for food assistance. He added that the food bank is in need of funding help, as well as more volunteers, to cover the increase.
Mendoza said the county’s agricultural community and local supermarkets donate food, but the food bank is treating this as an emergency and asking private and public agencies to donate money to purchase food to meet the increased demand.
“The FoodBank is willing and prepared to meet this crisis, but we do need help to do so from our community,” Mendoza said.
During the last Board of Supervisors meeting, Mendoza said the food bank had requested funds from CalFood in the amount of $430,107. Mendoza told BenitoLink these “funds were already built in our plan to serve the more than 10,000 people that we serve this fiscal year that are being accelerated to help cashflow during the crisis.” The funds have not yet been recieved.
More information about hours and locations can be found on the food bank website.
According to the state’s CalFresh Dashboard, in June of this year, 3,875 households and 7,214 people in the county received CalFresh benefits. Those benefits totaled $1,354,844, of which $1,350,837 came from federal funding and $4,007 from the state.
In 2024, 2,897 children received CalFresh benefits, while 2,890 people ages 18-59 and 1,044 age 60 and over received the benefits.
State officials have weighed in on the situation.
A statement from California Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Hollister) said the state is demanding that the federal government restore food aid.
“The impact on Californians will be devastating: more than 5.5 million residents across all corners of the state—mostly children, seniors, veterans and working families—will lose access to the benefits they depend on to put food on the table,” said Rivas in a news release.
A statement from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office said California along with 20 other states are suing the Trump administration for what the state argued is an “unlawful refusal to fund SNAP benefits.”
Resources
- Community Food Bank of San Benito County
- Contact 211 for local resources: 211 San Benito County
Monitor the California Department of Social Services for regular updates.
We need your help. Support local, nonprofit news! BenitoLink is a nonprofit news website that reports on San Benito County. Our team is committed to this community and providing essential, accurate information to our fellow residents. Producing local news is expensive, and community support keeps the news flowing. Please consider supporting BenitoLink, San Benito County’s public service nonprofit news.
You must be logged in to post a comment.