Thanks to everyone who signed the postcards and letters created by the Food Bank to urge Governor Jerry Brown and Assembly member Phil Ting to fund the CalFood program.  CalFood is a key part of the state budget that allows food banks like ours to efficiently purchase locally produced foods — such as eggs and cheese — which helps families stay nourished.  With your support, our Advocacy Team sent a strong message to Sacramento.  On June 27, Governor Brown signed a new state budget into law, which includes a historic investment in CalFood.

CalFood – formerly the ‘State Emergency Food Assistance Program’ – was created in 2011. The program remained unfunded until last year, when it received a one-time investment of $2 million, which was shared among the many food banks in California. This year, advocates from around the state, led by the California Association of Food Banks, came together to urge our Governor to make a bigger, and more permanent investment.  Thanks to our collective efforts – and your participation – the 2017-2018 budget includes $8 million for CalFood.  In addition, future state budgets include a permanent annual funding stream for CalFood of $6 million annually.

This historic win was a tremendous group effort. Thank you to everyone who advocated for CalFood with us – your voice matters!

Stay tuned for more advocacy opportunities by subscribing to our eNewsletter and Advocacy Alerts.  We’re gearing up to protect federal funding for CalFresh (formerly food stamps) which is expected to face cuts in upcoming Congressional budget proposals.