Board Approves Food Distribution Program to Support Residents Facing CalFresh Reduction
The County Board of Supervisors has approved a new food distribution program designed to help an estimated 93,500 people who may see their CalFresh benefits reduced or eliminated due to new federal work requirements.
Under the plan, the County will partner with Feeding San Diego and the San Diego Food Bank to host regular food distribution events at County facilities across the 16 high impact ZIP codes where families face the greatest need.
Additional distributions will be coordinated through trusted community partners to help fill service gaps.
The program is expected to launch mid-summer. Event details will be posted on the County’s website and shared by partner organizations.
County locations include library branches, Family Resource Centers and a community center. County staff will be onsite to help people apply for benefits, answer questions and offer other resources.
The $1 million program is funded through County reserves dedicated to safety-net services. Funding will support food distribution events, staffing, and nominal facility costs, along with potential adjustments to the program based on need, like homedelivery options.
County staff will monitor needs in real-time to ensure resources are delivered where they are needed most.
While most of the County’s 372,000 CalFresh recipients will not see changes to their benefits, the federal changes under H.R. 1 could affect 93,500 people. Residents with eligibility questions or who need to update their contact information can call the Access Customer Service Center at 866-262-9881, Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.