“The Stakes” is a UC Berkeley Journalism project on executive orders and actions affecting Californians and their communities.
On a hot morning in late June, Gabriel Biddler came to River City Food Bank’s distribution center in Sacramento’s Arden-Arcade neighborhood in his wheelchair and with his dog. He stocked up on non-perishables like soup, pre-cooked chicken and macaroni, as well as fresh carrots, celery, asparagus, tomatoes and bananas. Because of disabling scoliosis, Biddler said, most of his money goes to medical bills, leaving little for food.
On this Friday, as a long line of people inched forward in 97-degree heat, the food bank served 551 households in three hours, even though the limit was 500. A decade ago, it would have been rare to see such a large group waiting for food, said Amelia Martin, a long-time volunteer who has been a food recipient since 2013…