SNAP Benefits Are Not Enough? Here's How You Can Find Food Banks

The SNAP benefits emergency allotments in California have officially ended, with several anti-hunger advocates projecting a "hunger cliff" due to the inadequacy of the current regular amount of SNAP benefits.

The Hill noted that people relying on SNAP benefits lost an average of $90 per month due to the removal of the monthly emergency allotments.

The daily food assistance used to be around $9 per person a day. However, this will decrease to an average of $6.10 per person per day.

Seniors who rely on food stamp payments will be most affected by the hunger cliff.

In California, one in 11 people experiences hunger while one in eight children faces hunger, according to Feeding America.

To address the hunger needs in California, the state would need an estimated $1,985,431,000 per year.

In California, SNAP benefits, the program that recently saw cuts in the distribution of its benefits, have 49.2% of households having children as their household members.

California Food Banks

California residents experiencing hunger in the state can find food in three ways.

Californians can call 211 if they are in immediate need of food assistance. Lines are open 24 hours a day, most areas are provided with 211 phone support.

California Association of Food Banks noted that people can also reach out to their local food bank for a list of available places people can access if they need food.

The food bank list has California counties that residents can choose from and see which areas near them have available access to a food bank.

Residents are still encouraged to apply to California's nutrition program, which is CalFresh. Once found eligible, applicants will receive a debit card they can use at eligible grocery and retail stores.

Some farmers' markets also offer a program for those paying with their CalFresh benefits.

Growing Need for California Food Assistance

President and CEO of Food Share in Ventura, Monica White, noted that they know extra payments for the CalFresh benefits are set to end, and it would be the day they start seeing the line growing outside their pantry doors.

She added that there is no question that removing the extra payments will hit people hard, saying that they are "bracing for an influx of people," as reported by KCLU.

White continued to say that those that will be heavily affected will be low-income seniors qualifying for the minimum benefit.

She said Food Share in Ventura projected that seniors' monthly CalFresh benefits could drop from $281 to only $23.

On top of the removal of the extra allotments, the inflated costs of goods are also affecting California food banks such as Food Share.

The California food insecurity rate is estimated to be at 20%, with around eight million Californians facing food insecurity. Black and Hispanic families experience greater levels of hunger.

In 2020, food banks in California delivered more than one billion pounds of food.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

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