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Food Bank enters Advocacy Hall of Fame

February 16, 2021 By Cassidie Bates

We are honored to have recently been inducted into Feeding America’s 2020 Advocacy Hall of Fame. As stated by Feeding America, the Advocacy Hall of Fame is a year-long contest that challenges Feeding America network members to complete a set of advocacy tasks before the end of the year. Members of Feeding America’s Advocacy Hall of Fame will have their food bank’s name prominently displayed on a plaque in Feeding America’s DC office.

To be inducted into the Advocacy Hall of Fame, member organizations must excel in six categories:

Communicate with Member of Congress at least 11 times a year
Work with California State Assembly and Senate Members at least 11 times a year
Collaborate with grassroots supporters at least 6 times per year
Collaborate with grasstops supporters at least 6 times per year
Engage with local, state and national media at least 6 times per year
Educate and mobilize local partner organizations on our policy issues at least 6 times per year

Thank you for helping us achieve this recognition!

Hungry to be heard

March 6, 2020 By Jenny

Everyone has a story.

Understanding someone’s story builds compassion.

That compassion can lead to positive change.

And THAT is why we host an incredible program called The Speaker Series.

Be it a novel or a short chapter, people who know firsthand the realities of not having enough food to eat need to have their stories heard.

Through a series of eight weekly 2-hour workshops, Food Bank staff members along with a volunteer with experience in ToastMasters (an International Public Speaking organization) have been educating community members on public speaking and advocacy. They are helping those struggling to make ends meet get past self-doubt and stigmas so they can find their impactful voices.

In addition to the workshops, every year participants travel with the Food Bank staff and volunteers to Hunger Action Day in Sacramento (this year on May 6th). This serves as an exciting opportunity to use their newly-developed tools to effectively express themselves. They meet and educate legislators, so these elected officials can better advocate for the people they represent.

Upon completion of the program, we hold graduation ceremonies where the participants once again use the tools they have been taught to present a speech to their classmates. The pride they are feeling is visible when they are presented with certificates for their accomplishments. Over the past three years, we’ve had 32 graduates–9 males and 23 females.

As is often the case in life, when past graduates initially decided to participate in the Speaker Series to help others, they had no idea how much they would end up helping themselves. This program empowers people and taps into leadership skills they never knew they had in them. Many of our graduates consider their decision to participate in the Speaker Series to be a turning point in their lives.

“I was terriﬁed to speak in front of a crowd! The Speaker Series gave me conﬁdence to be able to open up to speak in front of people.”

– Patricia, 2017 Speaker Series Graduate and now Peer Mentor for the program

Not only have past participants built up their self-esteem during their two-month journey of personal growth, they also built lasting friendships with their classmates. Former classes have organized reunions after bonding over the leap of faith they all took together.

We’re thrilled to announce our 4th annual series is about to begin on March 11th and this year the workshops will be held in Vallejo. We are excited to begin working with our eight newly selected applicants including, for the first time, some community leaders! These leaders have lived experiences with hunger and have the desire to give back to the community. They will be an inspirational addition to the group this year!

Fighting hunger isn’t just about meeting the current need, it’s about stopping the cycle of hunger and this is why big-picture programs like the Speaker Series are so valuable to our society.

If you would like more information about the Speaker Series or Hunger Action Day, please email Mary Ann Buggs at [email protected].

Breaking Down the Proposed Changes to CalFresh/SNAP

February 7, 2020 By Cassidie Bates

If you’ve turned on the news lately, you’ve probably heard about cuts to SNAP (knowns as CalFresh in California, or “food stamps”). We’ve broken things down to help you better understand recent legislation and their implications on hunger and the Food Bank. Changes made at the federal level hurt the people we serve at the local level.

Public Charge:

WHEN does Public Charge come up? The Public Charge Assessment happens when a person: applies to enter the US, applies to adjust status to become a Lawful Permanent Resident (obtaining a green card), or a green card holder leaves the US for more than 180 consecutive days (6 months) and reenters. Most immigrants are not eligible for public benefits for up to 5 years; the new Public Charge rule would determine if this individual would likely use public benefits when in the US, based on certain criteria.

WHICH public benefits are examined? Utilizing the following public benefits could make a recipient subject to the Public Charge Test: CalFresh (SNAP)/Food Stamps, CalWorks (TANF/Cash Aid), Medicaid*, and Housing Assistance (Public Housing, Section 8, Rental Assistance). Those who would be impacted by this rule change are individuals deemed by the Public Charge Test to be more likely than not to receive public benefits for a cumulative 12 months or longer during a 36-month period. Two separate benefits (such as SNAP and housing assistance) used during the same month, count as 2 months out of the 12 months, and so on.

WHEN and WHERE does this happen? This is a federal proposal and would impact Californians who are enrolled in the public benefits listed above and are seeking to change their immigration status on or after February 24, 2020.

Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD):

What does ABAWD mean? If a person is determined to be able-bodied and does not have any dependents, their CalFresh benefits could be limited to 3 months in a 36-month period. Someone may fall into this category if they are between the ages of 18 and 49, they do not have any children living in their household, and they are not working 20 hours a week or more. A person who matches those standards, may be exempt if they are homeless, pregnant, in school, or receiving disability-related income– just to name a few exemptions.

When would the ABAWD Time Limit start? Currently, the final ABAWD rule was published on December 4, 2019 by the Federal government and it will take effect in almost every California county on April 1, 2020, UNLESS a court case can be brought against this ruling before April. The Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano is supporting litigation in opposition to this rule due to the negative impact this would have on the community members we serve.

Categorical Eligibility:

What is Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (BBCE): BBCE provides states the ability to streamline benefits and adjust the gross income eligibility requirements to make SNAP most responsive to the living standards of those in that state. Broad-based categorical eligibility allows states to look at the income requirements of people who are starting to earn more money and see whether or not the expenses they have for basics, like rent and childcare are leaving them enough money to budget for food. The federal cutoff to qualify for SNAP is an income at or below 130% of the federal poverty line; yet with BBCE, California has been able to let those with a gross income at or below 200% of the federal poverty line to be eligible for benefits. This is due to the high cost of living in California, compared to other states. The proposal would eliminate BBCE and apply the same income requirements (130% of the federal poverty line) to all individuals in all states.

Who: The Administration estimates 3.1 million people would lose their current access to SNAP. Currently, 12% of American households are food insecure, meaning they don’t have “consistent access to sufficient food.” SNAP serves 40 million people annually in the US; to qualify, your gross annual income is 130% or lower than the federal poverty line ($33,000/year for a family of 4). In California, 120,000 households, who are living between 130-200% of the federal poverty line would be impacted. Additionally, categorical eligibility allows families who are already eligible for other means-tested programs and children who are in SNAP households to receive free and reduced lunch. This proposal would eliminate the automatic enrollment and states would need to allocate staff to review separate applications for SNAP, free and reduced lunch and other means-tested programs.

Where and When: This is a nationwide policy, impacting Californians who receive SNAP (CalFresh) and meet the new income qualifications. Public comments were due on September 23, 2019. The USDA will most likely propose an official rule sometime in 2020.

Standard Utility Allowance:

What is the proposal: The Standard Utility Allowance (SUA) refers to the current SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) policy that takes into account the utility expenses of each SNAP household. This proposal would result in regulatory changes in how SNAP benefits are calculated. States currently have the option to use a designated allowance, approved by the USDA, in place of the actual utility costs to calculate a household’s utility expenses. The proposal eliminates a state’s ability in determining the appropriate dollar amount for those expenses, based upon the relevant living conditions of that state’s residents. Each state would utilize a uniform national allowance, which is projected to be lower than the actual utility cost for many Californians.

Who is impacted: This rule would impact any CalFresh recipient in California, and SNAP recipients nationwide, if it goes into effect. This proposal could disproportionately impact households with persons who are disabled or seniors. Typically, households with these populations yield higher utility expenses, due to the usage of household medical equipment, for example. The Administration estimates that if this rule takes effect, approximately 19% of SNAP households nationwide would get lower monthly SNAP benefits than they currently receive.

When would this take effect: This rule could take effect sometime in 2020. Currently, the USDA is reviewing public and organizational comments that were due on December 2, 2019.

What is the rationale for this proposal: The USDA published on October 3, 2019, that this proposed rule would cut SNAP benefits to save the program $4.5 billion over 5 years.

If you are interested in helping with our advocacy efforts, please contact Cassidie at [email protected].

Food Bank Responds to Harmful Able Bodied Without Dependents (ABAWD) Rule

December 4, 2019 By Cassidie Bates

The USDA’s newest cut to CalFresh will increase hunger in Contra Costa and Solano Counties

Today, the federal government published a final rule that will significantly cut the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps and known as CalFresh in California). The rule imposes harsh time limitations for adults without dependents – impacting some 700,000 SNAP recipients, the biggest cut to food assistance since the 1996 Welfare Reform Act.

Hunger impedes any human’s ability to focus, work and thrive…when any one person in our neighborhood is hungry, our entire community feels the impact. This cut to CalFresh not only eliminates current participants from receiving CalFresh benefits but it also places harmful restrictions on the entire CalFresh eligibility process

For Contra Costa County, this comes on the heels of the September 1st, 2019 reinstallation of the time limit rule that applies to a specific population of the SNAP/CalFresh recipient population. A person within this classification may be subjected to a three-month time limit during a period of three years while they’re on CalFresh benefits unless they are determined to have an eligible exemption. The federal ruling, posted on December 4th, 2019, has additional ramifications for CalFresh state and nation-wide.

We are on the frontlines of hunger every day and know that taking food assistance away won’t make it easier for people to find work. In fact, hunger is the enemy of concentration and focus – making it harder to find and hold down a job. The people that this rule targets already face well-documented barriers to work like lack of access to adequate transportation and affordable housing, criminal records that make it difficult to qualify for jobs, and undiagnosed physical and mental illnesses. These are members of our community that we should support, not make hungrier and more vulnerable by taking their vital food benefits away.

The publication of this rule comes despite the 2018 Farm Bill, which was passed with historic bipartisan support and rejected such limitations to the SNAP program. The Administration’s publication of this rule goes against Congress, our mission as a food bank, and our decency as a united community that no one should go hungry in America.

While this rule is said to incentivize employment, the rule targets people with well-documented barriers to work like the lack of adequate transportation and undiagnosed physical or mental illnesses.

Under the rule, individuals deemed to have ABAWD status will only be able to access CalFresh benefits for three months within a 36-month time period. CalFresh is often the only support they are eligible to receive, and the rule will force them deeper into hunger.

We are still analyzing the final rule, which is significantly different than the proposed rule, but we believe it will still result in unprecedented cuts to the country’s most successful anti-hunger program.

About hunger:

In Contra Costa County, 10.1% of residents experience hunger MAP HERE
In Solano County, 12.6% of residents experience hunger MAP HERE
Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano serves 178,000 community-members each month
In California, 11.2% of residents experience food insecurity

For every meal provided by California’s food banks, CalFresh proves nine. There is simply no way that California’s statewide network of food banks will be able to fill the gap to food access that this rule change will create.

The rule change is pending a 60-day waiting period. For now, those subject to the ABAWD rule can continue accessing benefits, as usual, anyone with questions should contact the Food Bank. Most provisions of the rule are slated to take effect on April 1, 2020, unless Congress or the courts act to stop or delay it.

This is the third proposed cut to CalFresh this year, with USDA also proposing to cut Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility that primarily harms children and working families, and the Standard Utility Allowance that disproportionately impacts older adults and people with disabilities.

We urge all CalFresh participants and community members concerned about this to call 925-849-8361 and visit www.foodbankccs.org/abawd.

Child Nutrition Reauthorization vital to fighting child hunger

August 27, 2019 By Cassidie Bates

The Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano Urges Diane Feinstein and Kamala Harris to support efforts to close the summer child hunger gap which impacts over 2 Million children in California.

We realize summer is coming to end and most kids are back in school, but there is important legislation we want everyone to be aware of. Congress has a chance to help feed hungry children next summer and beyond with the upcoming Child Nutrition Reauthorization process by improving access to summer meals sites, providing summer grocery cards, and allowing alternate delivery models in areas where kids are not able to access the other programs.

More than 22 million children nationally receive free or reduced-price lunch during the school year, yet a mere 17% of them access free meals in summer through the Summer Food Service Program. What this translates to is 2,139,517 children in California who are at an especially high risk of going hungry during summertime.

We are on the front lines of the fight against child hunger in Contra Costa and Solano counties in California and we see how hunger affects a child’s growth, ability to learn and their health. Every child deserves to have access to enough food whether school is in session or not.

The school districts in Contra Costa and Solano counties work hard to provide food to children in our community, but they are burdened by administrative rules that make it hard to operate summer meal sites. The reality is some children cannot access a summer meal because of geographic and transportation obstacles, which is why we support expanding nutrition programs to allow for summer grocery cards and alternate delivery models to give children in need equitable access to meals no matter where they live.

Congress can help by streamlining how summer and after school programs work together, which will result in the ability to feed more children in need. We urge our senators to support the following three bills that would help us ensure every child has access to the nutritious meals they need to grow, learn and thrive.

Hunger Free Summer for Kids Act of 2019 (S.1918): Introduced by John Boozman (R-AR), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and John Hoeven (R-ND)
Summer Meals Act of 2019 (S.1908): Introduced by Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Stop Child Summer Hunger Act of 2019 (S.1941): Introduced by Patty Murray (D-WA)

Make YOUR voice heard by calling your senators at (202) 224-3121 and encourage them to support these three bills.

We thank you for your consideration and support,

Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano

Get the Facts About Public Charge (English/Español)

August 16, 2019 By Cassidie Bates

WHAT is Public Charge and why is it a hot topic right now? Public Charge has been an aspect of US Immigration Law for over 100 years and is part of what allows immigration officials to determine who is granted visas, green cards, and citizenship. An announced change to Public Charge (Department of Homeland Security: Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds) was published by the Trump Administration on Wednesday, August 14^th. The proposed changes would allow federal officials to deny green cards to legal immigrants who are LIKELY IN THE FUTURE to receive certain public benefits.

WHEN does Public Charge come up? The Public Charge Assessment happens when a person: applies to enter the US, applies to adjust status to become a Lawful Permanent Resident (obtaining a green card), or a green card holder leaves the US for more than 180 consecutive days (6 months) and reenters. Most immigrants are not eligible for public benefits for up to 5 years; the new Public Charge rule would determine if individuals would likely use Public Benefits when in the US, based on certain criteria.

WHICH Public Benefits are examined? Utilizing the following public benefits could make a recipient subject to the Public Charge Test: CalFresh (SNAP)/Food Stamps, CalWorks (TANF/Cash Aid), Medicaid*, and Housing Assistance (Public Housing, Section 8, Rental Assistance). Those who would be impacted by this rule change are individuals, deemed by the Public Charge Test, to be more likely than not to receive public benefits for a cumulative 12 months or longer during a 36-month period. Two separate benefits (such as SNAP and housing assistance) used during the same month, count as 2 months out of the 12 months.

WHO is NOT affected? Public Charge does NOT affect everyone. The following individuals are not subject to the Public Charge Test: Lawful Permanent Residents (green card holders) who are applying for citizenship, Active-Duty Service members and their spouses and kids, recipients of Children’s Health Insurance Program, users of Medicaid who are either pregnant or children*, Medicare Part D (prescription drug subsidy program) recipients, WIC recipients, Pell Grant recipients, Refugees, Asylees, individuals with Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, VAWA self-petitioners, U or T visa applicants/holders, and certain parolees.

WHAT is the Public Charge Test criteria? The test would take into account: age, health, family status, financial resources, education, and skills. Immigration officials would grant a positive and a negative score for an individual in each section when making their determination of the Public Charge Test results.

WHEN and WHERE does this happen? This is a federal proposal and therefore would impact Californians who are enrolled in the public benefits listed above and are seeking to change their immigration status on or after October 15th, 2019. This proposal was posted by the Trump Administration on Wednesday, August 14th and will be officially published on October 15th, unless litigation prevents publication. Any public benefit that one applies for or uses ON or AFTER October 15th, 2019 could subject one to the Public Charge Test. Any benefit usage or application to change immigration status submitted prior to October 15th, 2019 will NOT be subjected to the Public Charge Test.

WHAT is changing from the current Public Charge rule?: This new proposal is forward-looking, meaning the assessment will judge if an individual is more likely than not to rely on public assistance in the future. Additionally, more types of public benefits would be taken into consideration by immigration officials.

Next steps for those impacted?: Remember the rule is not yet finalized and litigation may prevent it from becoming law prior to October 15th, 2019. Each person and their set of circumstances is unique and advice given to one individual doesn’t apply to all; seek advice from professionals and immigration attorneys. Continue using the benefits you and your family need to remain healthy, strong and employable. Engage in community education to know your rights and become knowledgeable about what you can do. REMEMBER: THIS PUBLIC CHARGE TEST WOULD NOT LOOK AT BENEFITS USED BEFORE OCTOBER 15TH, 2019. This will affect those who apply to change their immigration status (in one of the above categories) on or after October 15th, 2019 and are deemed likely to use public benefits in the future when they’d be eligible.

Questions? Contact Cassidie Bates at [email protected] or 925-334-2766.

——————————

Estimado Socio Comunitario,

El Banco de Comida del Condado de Contra Costa y Solano y nuestras agencias asociadas son una red basada en la comunidad, que proporciona alimentos a las personas necesitadas, sin importar su estatus legal. Al trabajar con nuestras agencias asociadas, organizaciones gubernamentales y la comunidad filantrópica, ponemos alimentos a la disposición de las personas a través de las agencias comunitarias a las que servimos y las distribuciones directas de alimentos que operamos.

Desafortunadamente, el clima en la actualidad ha causado confusión y miedo a las personas a las que servimos, especialmente en nuestras comunidades inmigrantes. Les pido su ayuda para que la comunidad tome conciencia de que nosotros como organización privada sin fines de lucro, el Banco de Comida no está obligado a informar el estatus legal de las personas a las que servimos y nunca compartirá información personal con las autoridades de inmigración. Tomamos un reporte de la cantidad de personas a las que servimos para poder informar a la comunidad como estamos combatiendo el hambre, pero nunca compartiremos los nombres de las personas quien reciben comida en nuestras organizaciones.

El Banco de Comida también ayuda a las personas a llenar solicitudes para el programa CalFresh, la respuesta más eficaz de nuestra nación para combatir el hambre. Cuando el personal de CalFresh del Banco de Comida proporciona asistencia con la solicitud, enviamos esa información al departamento correspondiente en el condado.

Continuamos sirviendo a 178,000 personas cada mes que necesiten asistencia alimentaria. Nos preocupa que los temores de acciones inminentes a gran escala impidan que las personas obtengan la ayuda que necesitan. Es importante que las personas entiendan que respetamos su privacidad y que estamos para ayudarlos a obtener la asistencia alimentaria que sus familias necesitan. El Banco de Comida es parte de una comunidad que se preocupa por los demás. Ayúdenos a combatir el hambre en nuestras comunidades más necesitadas.

New advocates graduate from Speaker Series 2019

June 10, 2019 By Lisa

We won’t be able to truly end hunger without coming together and changing policy. For this reason, one of the core pillars of our policy work is the Speaker Series.

The Speaker Series is designed to help people who experience hunger gain the tools and knowledge they need to become effective anti-hunger advocates.

On the evening of June 5th, we had 12 community advocates graduate from our 2019 Speaker Series. Our graduates attended eight weeks of workshops on public speaking and civic engagement, learning how to use personal stories to change public policy.

In order to put into practice what was learned, participants went to Sacramento for Hunger Action Day. Advocates shared their own stories of hunger with their elected officials and asked them to pass specific legislation to address this pressing issue. (You can view photos of Hunger Action Day on our Facebook page.)

We all have a story to share. The Speaker Series helps participants shape personal experiences into powerful narratives that inspire people to take action to end hunger.

Lend your voice on Hunger Action Day, May 22

May 6, 2019 By Guest

Representatives from the Food Bank will bus up to the State Capitol on Hunger Action Day, May 22, to meet up with other hunger-fighting advocates from throughout California. They will share their stories with elected officials and call for legislative change.

Even if you can’t be with us in Sacramento, we urge you to get on our “virtual bus” on May 22nd and let your elected officials know that fighting hunger needs to be a priority.

You can still fight hunger by:

Following #HungerAction2019 and @FoodBankCCS on Facebook and Twitter
Sharing on your favorite social media: Do you believe food is a human right? Hunger has no place in the Golden State! #HungerAction2019 #EndHungerTogether
Donating to help us continue our work to make lasting change for hungry people in your community: Due to a donor match, your gift can be doubled throughout the month of May if you use this specific link: foodbankccs.org/matchinggift.

Need Remains High in Wake of Shutdown

February 27, 2019 By Guest

Although the shutdown is over for federal employees, many of our clients are still unsure about how they will afford food without increased help from the Food Bank .

“I’m probably going to have to go a few days without food for myself, to make sure that my kids are able to eat.” –Clarence a single father from Vallejo

As you may not know, many people we serve also receive federal nutrition benefits (CalFresh) and because of the recent government shutdown, families will be receiving their next benefit 10 to 20 days late.

This disruption in CalFresh benefits is predicted to cause an unprecedented strain on food banks. CalFresh typically provides families with enough food to last two to three weeks and a third of all recipients already rely on food banks to make ends meet.

Help us meet this increased need.

Government shutdown ends, hardship continues

February 4, 2019 By Guest

The Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano is relieved congressional leaders and the administration reached a deal last week to temporarily re-open the federal government. However, we remain deeply concerned about the lasting impact this shutdown will have for federal workers and contractors, food assistance recipients, and emergency food providers like the Food Bank.

While federal workers will receive back pay, more than a million federal contract employees will not. This is a significant financial impact, as almost 10% of their yearly pay was lost during the shutdown. We anticipate that both federal workers and contractors will continue to need food assistance as they recover from this financial hurdle and brace for the possibility of another closure.

The uncertainty of the shutdown also caused an early issuance of February Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Families and individuals received February benefits on January 16. This has created a “SNAP gap” that is likely to cause significant financial strain for SNAP participants, who will go 40 to 60 days without a benefit payment. While the total amount of nutrition assistance will not change, the long gap between the availability of benefits will cause hardship for many households and further strain the emergency food assistance network.

SNAP typically provides families with about two to three weeks of food, and a third of all recipients already rely on food banks to make ends meet for the remainder of the month. In addition to creating a great amount of confusion, this prolonged gap between nutrition benefit payments will create an unprecedented strain on emergency food networks like ours.

Click here to watch the KTVU story that recently ran about a volunteer personally impacted by the shutdown.

There is also the very real concern that an agreement on a long-term spending bill may not be reached by February 15 and we could have another shutdown. If this occurs, the same budgetary provision used to pay out February benefits could be utilized to distribute April benefits early. While this may be necessary in order to ensure that people receive April benefits, it would create another straining and confusing SNAP gap. If the government were to shut down again for an extended period of time, May SNAP benefits would face an uncertain future.

The Food Bank is calling on the administration and Congress to reach a long-term compromise as soon as possible in order to allow the federal government to remain open and alleviate the stress, hunger, and hardship the partial shutdown has caused for millions of Americans.

Tell your elected officials today: the government MUST stay open. Every elected official – from the White House and halls of Congress to local and state leaders – needs to understand that nearly 40 million Americans’ food assistance is on the line if the government shuts down again.

Carly Finkle is the Policy and Advocacy Manager for the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano

Government shutdown’s impact on hunger

January 15, 2019 By Guest

Last week the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that, despite the ongoing federal government shutdown, they will continue to fund federal nutrition programs through February.

The Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano is relieved that important benefits like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, also known as CalFresh), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and school meals will remain available for the time being to provide assistance to those who need it.

We are, however, deeply concerned about the fact that households in California already received their February CalFresh benefits today, January 15th. If the government does not reopen or specifically appropriate funds for nutrition assistance, there is not enough in federal reserves to cover the cost of March benefits.

If funds are available for March CalFresh benefits, families and individuals will still experience a significant gap in between their benefit payments. CalFresh typically provides families with about two to three weeks of food, and a third of all recipients already rely on food banks to make ends meet. In addition to creating a great amount of confusion, this prolonged gap between nutrition benefit payments will create an unprecedented strain on emergency food networks like ours.

For every meal our food bank provides, federal programs like CalFresh provide twelve.

Furthermore, as furloughed federal employees and contractors missed their first paycheck last week, we anticipate an increase in demand for food assistance from families and individuals who are experiencing hardship due to the shutdown. To help bridge the gap until the government reopens, furloughed workers and CalFresh households are eligible to receive food assistance from the Food Bank.

Unfortunately, during the shutdown the USDA will not be able to provide our food bank with funding to help offset the cost of distributing federally provided nonperishable goods into our community. This additional cost is not something anticipated in our budget and will be harder to cover over time.

The Food Bank is prepared to support the community through any crisis, and this shutdown is no different. However, we remain deeply concerned that demand will exceed our capacity if these critical programs do not continue to receive funds. Please call your members of Congress today and tell them to reopen the government immediately.

Take action and

Call the Capitol switchboard and ask to be connected to your Representative or Senator (202) 224-3121

Call the President (202) 456-1111

Submit a comment to the President: https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

DeSaulnier: Trump food-stamp cuts would increase hunger

November 20, 2018 By Guest

Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)

By MARK DESAULNIER |

Published in the Mercury News: November 20, 2018 at 6:45 am | UPDATED: November 20, 2018 at 12:55 pm

As we sit down for Thanksgiving dinner, let’s think of the millions of Americans who don’t know where their next meal will come from — and the millions more who will be in the same predicament by next Thanksgiving if the president has his way.

Following Donald Trump’s unprecedented giveaway to billionaires and corporations, he lamented “a person who is not working at all and has no intention of working at all is making more money and doing better than the person that’s working his and her ass off.”

He acted by attacking social safety-net programs, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the program formerly known as food stamps and now known in California as CalFresh. SNAP is the nation’s largest domestic food assistance program that gives financial support to families that cannot always afford to put food on the table.

The president and congressional Republicans are using the budget on this crusade to undermine SNAP. In his 2019 budget, President Trump proposes slashing SNAP by $17.2 billion, which would leave at least 4 million people hungry.

Republicans have also proposed funding cuts through reauthorization of the Farm Bill by trimming as much as $75 per month from monthly benefits for up to 1.1 million families.

Farm Bill negotiations are currently underway and, while we cannot predict the outcome, it is clear that House Republicans and the president are after a funding cut however they can get it. And they want to get this done before Democrats, who do not support these cuts, take over the majority in the House in January.

The administration is not leaving the cutting to Congress, though, and has proposed its own way to hinder the program. Currently, the rules of the program require all SNAP recipients who are able-bodied adults without dependents to be employed at least 20 hours a week. Recognizing regional differences in access to work, states or localities can apply for a waiver to this rule to decrease the hardship on families.

The administration proposes a rule change that would eliminate waivers altogether except in exceedingly rare circumstances. This change would go back on more than 20 years of precedent and would endanger benefits nationwide.

California had a statewide waiver for nearly a decade before it expired this year, but most counties still have individual waivers. By this time in 2019, 52 of the state’s 58 counties could still be covered by waivers. Those counties would be in danger of losing those waivers if the administration’s rule change goes into effect. Further, if the state goes through another economic downturn, it would be at risk of not qualifying for future waivers.

The administration’s proposal is still in draft form, but it is almost universally recognized that the administration will wield its power to see this through in one form or another. It could take months or longer to go into effect.

While work is the best path to self-sufficiency, threatening someone with hunger is cruel and in no way incentivizes employment. Our duty as a nation is to provide for all Americans and ensure that they can live healthy and successful lives. Federal nutrition programs reflect that commitment.

Rather than cutting funding and imposing arbitrary requirements, we should invest in job training and workforce development while also protecting successful safety-net programs like CalFresh. With additional support, we will see much more success in assisting families to enter the workforce and attain well-paying jobs, which in the long term can help them transition off CalFresh when they are ready.

The Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano has already facilitated two community-wide meetings on the topic and local community colleges are poised to roll out employment and training programs on their campuses early next year.

This holiday season, I am grateful to live in a community that is already coming together to protect our most vulnerable residents. We must all continue to fight Trump’s policies and protect nutrition programs and those they serve so that everyone can enjoy a plentiful Thanksgiving — this year and all the years to come.

Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, D-Concord, represents most of Contra Costa County.

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