South Bay nonprofit leaders and government officials are racing to surge food aid into the region, as low-income residents brace for a sudden halt to the federal food stamps program.
The halt of funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), known as CalFresh in California, amid a federal government shutdown has led to dire warnings of widespread hunger and financial hardship for low-income residents in Santa Clara County. When the end of food aid takes effect Saturday, it will stem the flow of the roughly $25.5 million in federal food assistance funneled to the county each month, according to officials.
Santa Clara County officials on Thursday announced they will be surging food aid support by roughly $4.5 million in the coming weeks. This will buttress the funding surge announced by Gov. Gavin Newsom last week, though county leaders acknowledge it still doesn’t match the scale of the shortfall that will likely result from the cessation of benefits…