Pam Marino here, thinking about the 30,000 families that possibly are about to go without CalFresh benefits—aka the California version of federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, once known as food stamps—starting this Saturday, Nov. 1 due to the ongoing government shutdown. The people that are going to be the hardest hit are children and their parents, people with disabilities and senior citizens.
California and more than 20 other states took the Trump Administration to court earlier this week, demanding that the administration use a reserve fund to keep benefits flowing through the end of November. The administration is claiming it cannot legally use those funds. The case was argued earlier today in federal court, where a judge promised a ruling “soon.”
I wrote about the possible delay of benefits in this week's edition of the Weekly, out today, opening the story with what’s happening at the Food Bank for Monterey County, headquartered in Salinas.
This year requests for food have been even higher, as inflation and tariffs impact the cost of food. Melissa Kendrick, CEO and executive director of the Food Bank, tells me she noticed a big uptick in requests starting last month. With a possible delay in benefits, Kendrick is expecting more people will be requesting food in the coming weeks.
Tanya Kosta, president and founder of All-In Monterey County, an all-volunteer organization that distributes food and other necessities, says she’s also seen an increase in requests.
“We see between 600 to 800 families every single week and we’re preparing to see more,” Kosta says.
Kosta says they’re requesting more food from the Food Bank, which supports 160 nonprofits around the county, and she’s looking for businesses to host donation barrels.
I’m seeing more chatter on local social media among people who need to find food, and those who want to know how to help. I’m also seeing misunderstandings—like thinking the only way to get food from the Food Bank is by going to the warehouse in Salinas. That’s not the case.
You can find the Food Bank’s distribution points here. The City of Pacific Grove has a PDF showing where to find food on the Peninsula, including the Salvation Army, Gathering for Women and several churches. You can find out more about what All-In provides here. Or call 211, a number for information and referrals operated by United Way Monterey County, for a comprehensive list of resources. An online resource is FindHelp.org.
If you want to donate, one of the best ways is through cash donations to the Food Bank. All-In accepts cash and donations of non-perishable (and non-expired) food, as well as other items on their wish list, which you can see here.
Despite the situation we now face, Kendrick remains optimistic.
“Even though it sounds hopeless, I don’t believe it is because we live in a phenomenal community that when they see their neighbors hurting, they give,” she says. “We can make sure nobody in this county goes hungry.”