Thousands of San Diegans receive emergency food assistance at Snapdragon Stadium amid federal shutdown

The Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank partners with the State of California, City of San Diego, and San Diego State University to provide relief for CalFresh recipients impacted by the federal benefit pause.

East County News Service

November 3, 2025 (San Diego) -- In a powerful show of community partnership and coordination, the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank on Sunday hosted a large-scale emergency food distribution to support 2,181 individuals at San Diego State University’s (SDSU) Snapdragon Stadium. In advance of the event, the Food Bank mobilized more than 63,000 pounds of food, equivalent to 53,500 meals, including dry goods, frozen ground turkey, eggs, and fresh, nutritious produce such as yams, pears, spaghetti squash, and onions.

This event — hosted in collaboration with the State of California, City of San Diego, SDSU, and SDSU Associated Students (A.S) — was organized in response to the federal government shutdown that halted CalFresh (SNAP) benefits beginning Nov. 1. 

Nearly 400,000 San Diego County residents (more than 240,000 households) receive CalFresh benefits each month, including thousands of seniors, working families and military service members. With benefits paused, the region faces a potential deficit of up to 16 million meals in November alone.

“This is exactly why the San Diego Food Bank exists. As the county’s official food safety net, we are designed to respond swiftly and effectively when our community needs us,” said Casey Castillo, CEO of the San Diego Food Bank. “We’ve been preparing for potential disruptions and were ready to act when the government shutdown began. Our team swiftly expanded operations, mobilized staff and volunteers, and activated our network of partners to meet the need. Today’s effort reflects the scale of our response and the critical importance of sustaining it.”

San Diego Community Mobilizes to Meet Growing Need

Over the past month, the Food Bank has been closely monitoring federal developments and forecasting potential impacts, launching its largest coordinated response since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes expanding distributions countywide, purchasing additional food supplies, and activating hundreds of volunteers to meet the anticipated increase in demand. Today’s effort at Snapdragon Stadium was part of that ongoing emergency operation, as a steady stream of cars and families in need underscored the depth of the crisis.

“When our federal government fails to act, it’s local communities that step up — and that’s exactly what we’re doing here in San Diego,” said San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria. “This morning, I watched mothers and fathers with their children breathe a sigh of relief as volunteers loaded food into their cars. I’m deeply grateful to Governor Newsom, the San Diego Food Bank, SDSU, and our community partners for coming together so quickly to make sure our neighbors don’t go hungry. This is truly San Diego at its best.”

In addition to the food distribution, the Food Bank had its CalFresh team onsite to answer questions and support renewals and applications, ensuring families are ready when the program resumes. 211 San Diego also connected attendees to additional community resources, such as the Community Information Exchange® (CIE) Network, a shared system linking local service providers to improve long-term access to support such as housing, utilities and healthcare.

California Volunteers Support the Food Bank

California Volunteers, Office of the Governor’s California Service Corps, also supported today’s emergency food distribution event — marking their first time assisting a food bank in the region following Governor Gavin Newsom’s recent deployment of the California Service Corps and California National Guard to food banks statewide.

“In times of crisis, California stands together,” said Josh Fryday, GO-Serve Director and California Chief Service Officer. “We are proud to stand with the San Diego Food Bank and its partners to ensure families don’t go hungry. This is what service looks like: communities coming together to support one another in times of crisis.”

Sustaining the Response: A Community Effort

The Food Bank anticipates rising demand in the coming weeks, with an estimated initial financial impact of $1.5 million and additional emergency costs ranging from $100,000 to over $300,000 per week for the duration of the federal shutdown. Even after federal funding is restored, it will take several days for CalFresh benefits to fully resume, leaving families in need of continued local support.

“The San Diego Food Bank is built for moments like this,” Castillo added. “We plan, prepare and act quickly to meet surging community needs. However, we can’t do it alone. We’re calling on the San Diego community to help us keep our shelves stocked and our trucks on the road. Every dollar, every hour and every food drive makes a difference.”

Community members who wish to help can visit SanDiegoFoodBank.org to donate, host a virtual food drive, or volunteer. Individuals affected by the CalFresh disruption can also find information about local food distribution sites and resources at the same link.