Alameda County announces another $1.5 million in emergency food assistance

Officers in Alameda County have raised one other $1.5 million in meals help as uncertainty over November’s SNAP advantages continues.

On Friday, two federal judges ruled separately that the Trump administration acted unlawfully by withholding SNAP throughout the federal government shutdown and refusing to faucet a $6 billion emergency reserve.

Nevertheless it’s nonetheless unclear whether or not SNAP recipients will get up tomorrow with their cash loaded or if there will likely be additional delays or solely partial funds. In Alameda County, 179,000 residents depend on CalFresh, the state’s SNAP program.

“We all know what you already know,” Congressman Lateefah Simon mentioned at a information convention Friday morning, when requested concerning the affect of the judges’ orders. “The decision has simply been delivered.”

However she assured residents: “In case you are hungry on this province, you’ll eat.”

County officers final week permitted $10 million in emergency meals help to organize for doable SNAP delays amid the continuing authorities shutdown. Most of that cash goes to the Alameda County Neighborhood Meals Financial institution, a central hub that distributes meals to quite a few different packages.

The extra $1.5 million was raised in a 24-hour spree that merged philanthropy with cash from the workplaces of elected officers.

Crankstart and Eat Study Play Basis every contributed $500,000, which can go to the meals financial institution.

Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas gave $100,000 and County Superintendent Alysse Castro and Oakland Thrives every gave $200,000 to a separate fund meant for smaller organizations that coordinate meals deliveries in neighborhoods.

“What offers me hope as we speak is that there’s a nice and numerous coalition of meals justice organizations and native leaders standing collectively to make sure that nobody in our province goes hungry,” Bas mentioned on the press convention.

The $35 million in SNAP advantages distributed month-to-month within the county not solely feeds residents, however “additionally helps our native economic system and helps our grocers and our native farmers,” she mentioned.

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee was one in every of a number of officers on the convention who mentioned they or their households depend on SNAP.

“I raised my two kids on meals stamps,” Lee mentioned. “It wasn’t a handout, however it was a lifeline that saved meals on the desk whereas I used to be doing every thing proper however nonetheless struggling to make ends meet.”

Lee and different officers, together with Sen. Jesse Arreguín and Assemblywoman Mia Bonta, each representing Oakland, blasted the Trump administration for what they referred to as an avoidable and “manufactured” starvation disaster.

Close by cities and counties are additionally scrambling to serve SNAP recipients affected by the slowdown, with some, together with San Francisco, handing out pay as you go debit playing cards to exchange typical advantages.

Bas mentioned the province wants at the very least $5 million to begin that strategy right here, however that officers had an emergency name with potential funders to discover the thought.