Category: News

Partial SNAP Funding is Far From What’s Needed to Address This Hunger Crisis

November 3, 2025

In response to two court rulings, the White House and USDA agreed to partial payments of $4.65 billion in contingency resources to fund SNAP for the month of November. Partial funding is far from what is needed to address this hunger crisis. What’s needed is to fund SNAP for the month is $9 billion. But even though the federal government has the resources to do so, it chose not to help the 42 million people in our nation who rely on SNAP to feed their families.  

Much is still unknown. The timing and amounts of those partial payments are unclear and leaves 90,000 households in San Francisco and Marin uncertain about their benefits, and when and if they will receive them. Partially funding SNAP, with no plan in place for December, is an abdication of responsibility to those who rely on the program as a lifeline.  

Even in the midst of this crisis, we must not lose sight that historic cuts to SNAP have already been approved by Congress and will be enacted in the months ahead. This shutdown foreshadows the lasting harm to come. Unless Congress chooses to strengthen this vital program instead of its planned gutting, we will witness the gradual but intentional unraveling of the most effective anti-hunger program in our nation. 

Our Food Bank remains committed in our efforts to make sure people have the food they need today and will not retreat from our mission of serving those struggling to put food on their tables. Our Shutdown Community Response continues as planned. We are undeterred and will continue to work for policies that eliminate – not cause – hunger. 

Food Bank Update: Shutdown Community Response

October 31, 2025

On Saturday, November 1, people who rely on SNAP to put food on the table will not receive their benefits due to the ongoing government shutdown and decision by the USDA not to use emergency funds to support the program during the shutdown. The federal government is pulling the safety net out from under children, low-income working people, seniors, and people with disabilities. This is a devastating blow to 90,000 families in San Francisco and Marin – and millions more nationwide – who are already struggling.

We are already seeing a surge in demand for our services. Traffic to our food locator tool on our website has gone up 250% in the past week.

In the face of a crisis that was created by our federal government, we will work with our community to support impacted families and individuals.

Our Shutdown Community Response 

  • Direct cash assistance: we are proud to be in partnership with the city and county of San Francisco and the Crankstart Foundation to help provide gift cards to SNAP recipients in San Francisco to cover benefits in November. We are thrilled to see this happening, it’s an example of how public, private, and nonprofit partnerships can support our community. While we are concerned about what will happen if the shutdown lasts past November, we are relieved families in San Francisco will receive this temporary support this month. The Food Bank is actively advocating and mobilizing for a similar program in Marin.
  • Increasing community capacity: we are working with our community partners and other local organizations to support a temporary increase in their capacity to distribute food to individuals who are impacted by the shutdown. We are actively working through those plans with our partners, but this will include a temporary emergency increase in food pantry capacity along with opportunities for agencies to pick up pre-packed bags of food to deliver to their impacted community members.
  • Increased Home-Delivered Groceries: we plan to temporarily expand our Home-Delivered Grocery program to support community members who are unable to go to a food pantry right now to get the food they need.

If You Need Help 

Our temporary Shutdown Community Response programs will be available to community members who have lost benefits, government employees impacted by the shutdown, and/or neighbors impacted by increased federal immigration enforcement activity.

San Francisco households eligible for support through the pre-paid gift card program will receive a letter from the San Francisco Human Services Agency (SFHSA) that contains information on how to access their card. Letters will be sent in the first week of November. For more information about the program, visit: CalFresh Emergency Aid | sfhsa.org 

For those impacted by this shutdown or federal government immigration enforcement who need food assistance, please visit our Find Food page regularly. We are still actively working through our community response plan and many details are still coming together.  

For partners and other community organizations that are interested in joining us in this work to bring food to our community, please visit our Partner page regularly. We are still actively working through our community response plan and will have opportunities for you to engage shortly.

To Support the Food Bank 

We can’t do this alone. We are already stretched thin with limited capacity and record demand due to a hunger crisis that predated the shutdown.

You can support us by donating at www.sfmfoodbank.org/donate.  

To volunteer your time, visit www.sfmfoodbank.org/volunteer. Please note, November and December are our busiest volunteer months of the year. If you don’t see a shift please check back regularly as we are continuing to update volunteer opportunities as we develop our Shutdown Community Response plans.

Food Bank Update: Government Shutdown Community Response

October 29, 2025

We are deeply disappointed to learn that Congress has not taken the necessary steps to ensure people receive their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments in November as the government shutdown persists.  

90,000 households of working families, single parents, seniors, veterans, and more who rely on SNAP in San Francisco and Marin to put food on their tables will not receive their benefits starting Nov. 1 due to the government shutdown.  

One in five Californians are at risk of hunger. We are already in a hunger crisis that this lapse in benefits will only serve to exacerbate.  

We also know many members of our community are experiencing increased fear about accessing food due to heightened immigration concerns. Food is a human right. No one should have to worry about their safety when accessing food. We believe in food for all, regardless of immigration status and we stand in solidarity with all in our community.  

This is why we are actively collaborating with our partners and local agencies in preparing to mobilize a temporary emergency Shutdown Community Response plan of action. We are firm in our commitment to serve those impacted during this period of a government shutdown. More details of our response are being developed. Additionally, we don’t plan to engage the National Guard in our efforts.  

We are unapologetic about providing food for all. In the face of this shutdown we are resolute in our efforts to make sure people have the food they need today and will continue to work for policies that eliminate – not cause – hunger. 

We cannot do this alone. We encourage all to stand with us, with families and our neighbors who require our help. Now, more than ever, we will need the support of our entire community. Visit www.sfmfoodbank.org to donate or volunteer.  

Individuals impacted by the SNAP delays can visit our food locator:  https://www.sfmfoodbank.org/find-food/ where we will post more information as it becomes available. 

Food Bank Statement About Possible Lapse in SNAP Benefits

October 22, 2025

Oct. 22, 2025

The San Francisco-Marin Food Bank is extremely concerned about the potential impact to people receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and USDA’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) benefits should the government remain shut down and fail to take proper steps tomorrow to ensure benefits are issued.  There are 90,000 working families, single parents, seniors, veterans, and more who rely on SNAP and WIC in San Francisco and Marin to feed their families – we are calling on Congress to ensure the payments continue during this Shutdown and reverse the devastating SNAP cuts they approved in July.

Food is a basic human right, and yet our community is already facing unprecedented levels of hunger. This is untenable. Having a pause in SNAP and WIC benefits during this shutdown foreshadows what will happen when devastating national efforts to slash critical social safety nets go into effect.  

We appreciate Governor Newsom’s recognition that food banks are crisis response organizations.  As with other emergencies, the Food Bank will continue to be on the front lines of ensuring our community can put food on the table should our federal elected officials choose not to take steps by tomorrow to ensure people can access the benefits they need.  

We learned about the decision to deploy the National Guard to support food banks this morning at the same time it was announced to the press. At this time, we don’t have more information to share about if and how they will support our Food Bank, as we are waiting to learn more.  

 

Bay Area Food Banks Unite to Reject Proposed SNAP Cuts

June 18, 2025

San Francisco-Marin Food Bank Executive Director Tanis Crosby gathered with leaders of four other Bay Area food banks for a press conference to draw attention to the proposed federal budget bill that would slash an unprecedented $211 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — the largest cut to food assistance in U.S. history.

Feeding America estimates that, nationally, up to 9.5 billion meals a year would be lost if SNAP is cut. In California, the estimated number of annual meals lost is 1.1 billion.

“SNAP is the single most effective anti-poverty tool that we have in this country. And it worked in the pandemic. It was used as a tool to fight poverty and hunger, and SNAP benefits combined with other policies meant that in the pandemic, child poverty in this country was cut in half. It was cut in half,” Tanis observed at the podium. “So we’re raising the alarm because we know what’s at stake and we also know what kind of difference policies can make.”

A California Budget & Policy Center data tracker tool, shared by the California Association of Food Banks, looks at congressional districts with households — including those with children and seniors — that are at risk of losing some amount of SNAP/CalFresh benefits due to new and onerous work requirements. In her remarks, Tanis referenced it, noting that around 175,000 people in the congressional districts linked to the greater Bay Area could lose SNAP benefits.

“To give you a real scenario of that impact, if you added up all of the SNAP recipients at risk of losing some benefits — you could fill every major stadium in the area, from Levi Stadium to Oakland Arena, to Oracle Park and the Chase Center,” said Tanis.

Hosted at Second Harvest of Silicon Valley, the June 17. 2025 press event was a show of unity by the five food bank leaders who together spoke in one voice in opposition to cuts to SNAP — known in California as CalFresh. Speakers included Leslie Bacho, CEO of Second Harvest of Silicon Valley; Allison Goodwin, president and CEO of Redwood Empire Food Bank; Caitlin Sly, president and CEO of Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano and Regi Young, executive director of Alameda County Community Food Bank.

Leslie Bacho observed that SNAP is a lifeline, helping more than 40 million Americans put food on the table, including tens of thousands of people right here in the Bay Area—one of the wealthiest regions in the country but also home to some of the widest income gaps in the nation.

Caitlin Sly spoke on how low-income individuals are already stretched thin by rising food and gas prices, and now their essential lifelines, like SNAP, are being targeted by government cuts.

Allison Goodwin highlighted the impact of SNAP cuts on the local economy, noting that every $1 in SNAP generates up to $1.80 in economic activity, making it one of the most effective ways to boost local economies—especially in underserved and rural areas.

Regi Young urged those in Congress not to actively dismantle a program that has successfully served those struggling to feed their families and called on the public to protest these cuts, as they are not inevitable—they are a policy choice.

The collective message to those listening was to Take Action: Like the other participating food banks, the San Francisco Marin Food Bank urges all our supporters to sign our petition: Reject SNAP cuts and protect SNAP and other critical food security programs. We must strengthen, not cut, critical food benefits for households facing hunger.