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Hunger is a policy choice. And the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank knows when people unite with bold vision and shared commitment, we can change the systems that perpetuate it.
That’s why we’re launching Seeding Change, our three-year policy campaign addressing not just hunger, but its root causes. We’re centering the voices of those with lived experience, building partnerships, and advocating for policies that create pathways out of hunger.
Download the full 2026 Policy Agenda
Food is a human right. San Francisco-Marin Food Bank is unapologetic in our commitment to ensure people have access to healthy food. Each year, our policy agenda identifies legislation we advocate for that removes barriers to food access and centers the concerns of our participants, partners and the communities we serve.
The policies and budget investments we support address issues raised by the community in our 2026 Policy Survey and through our Food CARE Council (Community, Advocacy, Resilience & Equity), made up of community members with lived experience of food insecurity.
Everyone can have a role in ending hunger. Help advance our policy priorities by learning about an issue, mobilizing colleagues and friends to take action, or raising your voice in support during legislative hearings.
San Francisco-Marin Food Bank recognizes the harm caused by federal cuts to the social safety net and advocates for public investments and policies that meet the needs of communities locally, statewide and across the nation. Below are policy priorities for the 2026 legislative session. Our detailed legislative priorities will be released later this spring.
The federal budget bill H.R. 1 devasted the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) with $186 billion in cuts. These cuts are estimated to result in the loss of 6 billion meals annually — to put that in perspective, the entire Feeding America network distributed enough food for 6 billion meals last year. Food banks simply can’t make up the difference.
We’re advocating for: Farm Bill Enhancement with increased SNAP funding, the Restoring Food Security for American Families and Farmers Act, and building alliances across states in partnership with Feeding America to champion federal policies that strengthen and protect the social safety net.
Hunger doesn’t go away just because you don’t count it. Recent federal actions eliminated funding for two critical food insecurity data sources: the USDA Hunger Survey and the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) food insecurity screener. Together, these cuts leave California without reliable data on who is experiencing food insecurity and where needs are greatest.
We’re advocating for: the Count Hunger Act (AB 1734, Assemblymember Catherine Stefani) to restore critical hunger data eliminated by federal and state funding cuts and expand food insecurity measurement to include households up to 400% of the Federal Poverty Level.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — known in California as CalFresh — is a lifeline for over 5 million Californians. But significant barriers prevent many eligible families from accessing it. We’re partnering with statewide coalitions on CalFresh reform to strengthen program accountability, reduce access barriers and ensure adequate benefits to meet the nutritional needs of families.
San Francisco has hundreds of community organizations addressing hunger, but fragmented services mean duplicated efforts, gaps, and people falling through cracks.
We’re advocating for: a Food Security Task Force uniting community-based organizations, city agencies, and community voices for policy change. Food CARE Council leadership development to elevate participants with lived experience as policy leaders. Strategic relationship building with the Mayor’s Budget Office, Human Services Agency, and community partners to align resources and advocacy. Our goal: transform fragmented services into coordinated movement-building that addresses root causes of food insecurity.
Marin County’s prosperity masks deep inequities. Community members face limited access to affordable, culturally appropriate food. Community Markets offer dignified alternatives to traditional food pantry models.
We’re advocating for: dedicated Marin County budget support for Community Markets. We’re collaborating with County Supervisors and officials to secure long-term funding, advocating for food security investments supporting sustainable solutions, and championing Community Markets as a model that addresses food insecurity at its roots.
