Alameda County will invest $10M in food assistance programs

Because the federal shutdown continues, Alameda County officers are attempting to determine the way to hold residents from going hungry.

Final week, the Board of Supervisors agreed to donate about $10 million to native packages that feed residents. Nearly all of the funding – $8.3 million – will go to the Alameda County Group Meals Financial institution, with $1.7 million going to meals for seniors. The Board of Administrators will meet once more on October 28 to ratify the choice.

Social service organizations warned the administration that emergency funding is required as a result of the federal authorities shutdown, which started Oct. 1, has dried up the stream of cash to CalFresh, California’s foremost meals help program.

As a result of the federal authorities has not reopened by October 23, CalFresh advantages will possible be delayed for thousands and thousands of Californians in November. according to Governor Gavin Newsom. The state will present further steering if the federal shutdown continues past November 2025, based on Newsom’s workplace. The governor additionally not too long ago introduced this to stake the Nationwide Guard to help meals banks.

Even earlier than the shutdown, CalFresh was affected by H.R. 1, dubbed the “One Huge Lovely Invoice” by President Donald Trump, which Trump signed into legislation in July. In keeping with county officers, HR1 will end in an estimated $70 million annual financial savings in CalFresh funds for Alameda County residents. In a single presentation Shared with the board on Tuesday, workers mentioned 179,000 county residents obtained CalFresh advantages as of March 2025.

Quite a few audio system finally week’s supervisors assembly defined the dire situations confronted by hundreds of residents within the East Bay who’re already struggling to make ends meet. Jessward Docena, who works for the Alameda County Group Meals Financial institution, instructed the board that every week his group serves employees whose paychecks do not cowl lease, seniors struggling to make ends meet on a hard and fast earnings and fogeys skipping medicines to feed their households.

“This is not about charity, it is about stability,” Docena mentioned.

There’s a want for a greater understanding of the province’s wants and assets

Supervisors largely agreed that supporting county meals packages is a good suggestion. However some have been involved in regards to the prospect of getting to complement packages indefinitely with out clearer knowledge on the province’s particular wants. President David Haubert identified that whereas the district’s spending on meals help is far decrease now than through the pandemic, spending continues to be increased than earlier than 2020.

“There isn’t a higher restrict, there will probably be no higher restrict,” Haubert mentioned. “Individuals want meals.”

A number of board members mentioned they need the county to conduct an evaluation of the county’s meals wants to higher decide how a lot cash must be spent on diet packages sooner or later. Haubert additionally emphasised that he needs to prioritize serving populations which are at fast danger of shedding entry to meals.

Supervisor Nate Miley mentioned that as a result of the county’s wants are so nice, “we should work out the way to finest use restricted assets to realize the larger good.”

Nikki Fortunato Bas mentioned whereas she would not consider the province ought to simply fund “something,” she sees diet as a transparent precedence.

“The necessity for meals is one thing elementary, and I would like us to satisfy the urgency that individuals really feel,” mentioned Bas.

The board agreed to this earlier this month spending about $3.6 million to help the growth of the county’s speedy response hotline for authorized protection towards deportation and neighborhood training and outreach on immigration points. The board additionally agreed to put aside cash to pay workers for a brand new Workplace of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs to coordinate providers.