Cal Fresh

Feeding San Diego expands emergency food assistance to federal workers and Cal Fresh recipients during ongoing government shutdown

As the shutdown continues, the hunger relief non-profit is preparing for a massive surge in need with the delay of November CalFresh benefits

 

Source:  Feeding San Diego
 
October 23, 2025 (San Diego) - As the government shutdown enters the fourth week, Feeding San Diego has expanded food assistance services to federal workers impacted by the loss in pay, including the over 110,000 members of the military that call San Diego home.
 
Now, it’s preparing for another surge in need with the announcement that CalFresh benefits will be delayed should the government shutdown go on after today. More than 400,000 San Diegans receive CalFresh benefits and will experience an interruption in funds loaded onto their EBT cards.  


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SNAP cuts in America and the future impacts on California

Overall, this affects not only SNAP, but also WIC, federal workers, food banks, senior citizens, and grocery stores.

 

By G. A. McNeeley 

 

October 22, 2025 (California) -- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the critical food assistance program, being halted is one of the biggest impacts of the ongoing government shutdown, and it’s about to affect tens of millions of the poorest Americans. Several states are warning that they’ll be forced to suspend SNAP benefits by November 1 if the shutdown continues, according to ABC News. 

 

SNAP, also referred to as "food stamps," serves about 42 million low-income Americans. The program, run by the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service, issues electronic benefits that can be used like cash to purchase food. 

 

Governor Gavin Newsom warned on Monday, October 20, that millions of low-income Californians who rely on public assistance to feed their families may be unable to access food benefits next month because of the federal government shutdown, according to POLITICO. 


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IMPACTED BY FLOOD? YOU CAN APPLY FOR CAL-FRESH FOOD BENEFITS BY MARCH 15

By Miriam Raftery

March 6, 2024 (San Diego) – Victims of the flooding disaster in San Diego County are now eligible for temporary food assistance through Cal Fresh.  Qualified applicants will receive a debit card with at least $291 to purchase food.There is a short application window. In order to get Disaster CalFresh, people must apply by Friday, March 15.

Disaster CalFresh benefits are for people living or working in impacted counties including San Diego County on January 21 who experienced one of the following:

  • Lost wages or income because of the natural disaster, or
  • Had their home or place of employment damaged, or
  • Have disaster-related costs (including lost food, evacuation expenses), or
  • Cannot access savings or checking accounts. 

No social security number is required. 



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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

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