Organizations pump up Alameda County food fund to help SNAP recipients during shutdown
on November 1, 2025
Alameda County announced Friday that it has secured $1.5 million in emergency funding to support residents who receive SNAP benefits, which have been delayed by the federal government shutdown.
“One thing I know about Alameda County, one thing I know about the town, and one thing I know about the East Bay and these electeds behind me is that we take care of our own,” U.S. Rep. Lateefah Simon said at a news conference Friday that included county officials, mayors and community leaders.
On Friday, two federal judges ruled that the Trump administration must pay for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, which were set to stop Saturday.
Alameda County had allocated $10 million in emergency funds, of which $8.3 million was for the Alameda County Community Food Bank and $1.7 million was to provide meals to seniors. On Friday, $1.5 million was added to those funds, by such organizations as Crankstart, Eat.Learn.Play and Oakland Thrives, as well as individual supervisors and the Alameda County Education Office.
The county is also eligible to receive approximately $2.4 million from the state to support food needs.
In Alameda County, 179,000 residents receive SNAP, which is called CalFresh in California. It’s not clear when November benefits will reach recipients’ accounts. A U.S. district judge in Rhode Island gave the administration under Monday to determine how it would fund SNAP during the shutdown, the Associated Press reported.
As for the emergency fund, the Alameda County Community Food Bank will distribute the money.
Regi Young, the food bank’s executive director said at the news conference that local food banks should not expect to see those funds for about a month. The food bank has been using its reserve to prepare for the upcoming demand.
“Food is a human right,” Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas said at the news conference. “No one should go hungry, and we, as leaders and food justice organizations, are here to say we have your back.”
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