The Alameda County Board of Supervisors is expected to give final approval this week to inject $10 million into food security programs to support organizations including the Alameda County Community Food Bank.
The county is facing dual impacts of deep cuts to the federal Supplemental Food Assistance Program (SNAP), and a federal government shutdown that could delay monthly payments for current recipients, who receive SNAP benefits through the state’s CalFresh program.
The Board of Supervisors has allocated $16.5 million for food assistance, including this newly allocated money, from the county’s Measure W Essential County Services Fund to help mitigate the expected loss of about $70 million in SNAP funding. The cuts were included in the recently passed federal spending bill, House Resolution 1, often referred to by Republicans as the Big Beautiful Bill for its originally proposed name given by President Donald Trump.
“Food is a basic human right,” Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas said in a statement Wednesday. “Nobody should go hungry, especially our most vulnerable populations including children, seniors, immigrants, families and the medically frail. Shame on the Trump administration for their callous policies that are devastating our community,” she said.
About 166,000 people in Alameda County are enrolled in CalFresh, according to the County’s Department of Workforce and Benefits Administration.
The additional $10 million includes $8.3 million for the Alameda County Community Food Bank and partner organizations and $1.7 million for meals for seniors, according to Fortunato Bas’ office.
The Board of Supervisors will have a final vote on the spending at its regular meeting on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Gov. Gavin Newsom said he will allocate $80 million to food assistance programs in the state and direct the California National Guard to help distribute an anticipated surge in demand from food banks.
About 5.5 million Californians rely on CalFresh, according to the governor’s office.
“Trump’s failure to open the federal government is now endangering people’s lives and making basic needs like food more expensive — just as the holidays arrive,” Newsom said in a statement. “It is long past time for Republicans in Congress to grow a spine, stand up to Trump, and deliver for the American people.”
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