Food justice groups in East Bay intensify efforts against hunger crisis fueled by SNAP disruption

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, Calif. (KRON) — Thousands of households in Contra Costa County are facing food insecurity due to a disruption in SNAP benefits caused by the government shutdown.

Local food justice organizations, including the Food Security Collaborative, are stepping up efforts to ensure no one goes hungry during this crisis.

“We don’t want anyone to go hungry,” said Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa Executive Director of Development and External Relations Jeanette Kennedy.

Claudia L. Ramirez, the Executive Director of The Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Contra Costa from the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, noted, “We’ve seen an increase in our pantries anywhere from 45-200%.”

The Loaves and Fishes food program in Contra Costa County, which provides hot meals to those in need, is increasing its efforts as demand has doubled in all dining rooms.

The Food Security Collaborative, alongside the county’s Employment and Human Services Department, is urging the Board of Supervisors to declare a state of emergency over food access and provide $21 million in direct financial aid to cover November.

Sly from the Food Security Collaborative emphasized the urgent need for support, stating that many households in Contra Costa County are affected by the disruption in CalFresh Benefits.

The Food Security Collaborative has launched a county-wide food drive of non-perishable items to supplement food pantries.

Ramierz explained that St. Vincent de Paul is helping meet various needs, such as car repair bills, to enable people to buy groceries long-term.

The Food Security Collaborative was launched two years ago, and many partner organizations have been serving the community for decades, some for more than 40 to 60 years.

Birge from the Food Security Collaborative expressed hope that public officials will move quickly to reinstate benefits for affected neighbors.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KRON4. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KRON4 staff before being published.