As Californians await delayed funds from the state’s food assistance program, community members say the uncertainty is straining food banks and deepening an already dire food insecurity crisis.
A court order Thursday is set to restore Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for November after the funds were halted throughout the country under the government shutdown that has now persisted for 38 days. During that time President Donald Trump’s administration has resisted funding the program, asking a federal appeals court on Friday to block the court order and repeatedly refusing to use an emergency fund of $5 billion.
In the midst of shifting court rulings and uncertainty, families have been without their benefits for at least a week. And even for those who have received benefits, the imminent threats to the CalFresh program, the state’s version of SNAP, have been hurting food-insecure communities and consequently, food banks.
Recent surge at food banks
SFGATE visited the Alameda County Community Food Bank on Wednesday afternoon, where many of the 175,607 CalFresh recipients in the county turned for food in the current circumstances. The parking lot was completely full and dozens of people waited inside for their number to be called…