California – As millions of people in California are struggling to get enough food during the continuing federal government shutdown, the state has started an emergency effort to fight hunger. Governor Gavin Newsom has sent California Volunteers and the California National Guard to food banks to help prepare and serve meals to families who are having trouble getting food because of delays in federal food assistance programs.
The California Department of Social Services organized the mission, which started its first operation at the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. There are eight College Corps members and 32 National Guard service members on the deployment. They worked with staff and volunteers to pack and distribute food. The Governor also quickly sent $80 million in state money to food banks across California to make up for the lack of action by the federal government.
Governor Newsom noted that the deployment is a necessary humanitarian reaction to President Donald Trump’s refusal to end the federal shutdown…