Gov. Newsom deploys National Guard to support food banks amid federal shutdown

(FOX 5/KUSI) — As the government shutdown reached its 22nd day, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Wednesday he will deploy National Guard troops to support food banks throughout the state.

The California Department of Social Services stated millions of Californians receiving benefits from programs such as CalFresh and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) could be impacted if the shutdown is not lifted by Thursday.

More than five million California residents receive CalFresh benefits. The department notified counties earlier this week to prepare for no benefits starting next month, if the shutdown continues.

States have been directed by the federal government to hold November benefit data and would impact people who have been newly enrolled in CalFresh during the second half of October, and then all enrollees after Thursday.

“Trump’s failure to open the federal government is now endangering people’s lives and making basic needs like food more expensive — just as the holidays arrive,” Newsom said in a statement.

On Wednesday, he said California will take action by deploying the National Guard and California Volunteers to distribute food to families and invest $80 million to keep food banks stocked.

In 2020, the governor deployed the National Guard to support food banks during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, the National Guard, the California Service Corps and tens of thousands of volunteers served more than 800 million meals to families in need.