Copyright CBS News
On the 21st day of the federal government shutdown, Gov. Gavin Newsom is blaming the Trump administration and Republican lawmakers for what his office announced will soon be disruptions to millions of Californians' CalFresh food benefits, known federally as SNAP. "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. Newsom said that more than five million Californians who utilize CalFresh's food assistance could see no money loaded onto their benefit cards in November if the government does not reopen by Thursday. Local agencies and food banks are bracing for a potential increase in need due to the delays in food assistance. "We are preparing for thousands of additional households coming into our services," said Genevieve Pyeatt, director of programs for the Yolo Food Bank. Pyeatt told CBS Sacramento that the Yolo Food Band and the Yolo County Health and Human Services office have teamed up to be proactive, planning right now to host emergency food distributions at CalFresh offices in Davis, Woodland and West Sacramento starting the first week of November to help families if the government does not open back up. "Our mission is to provide food to those that are food insecure and to our neighbors. So we take it very seriously," Pyeatt said. Pyeatt said the food bank has kept a close eye on the ongoing government shutdown and is preparing for an increase in need for their assistance. They are working to be ready to answer the call of community members, but it comes at a tough time for the agency. "We experienced a huge loss in federal cuts already as a food bank, and so we had to adapt to that," Pyeatt said. "Unfortunately, with less food resources, less funds, but still the need increasing, we're always kind of battling with this balance." Yolo is one of the most food-insecure counties in California. Pyeatt said the local need is up about 20% over the past three years, and they serve around 30,000 households each month. "Thanks to Donald Trump and his MAGA lapdogs in Congress, the government shutdown is going to deprive millions of Californians in need of their November food benefits," Newsom wrote on X. "It is long past time for the GOP to grow a spine, stand up to Trump, and stop endangering people's lives." President Trump pushed back on the implication that Republicans are to be blamed for the government shutdown on Tuesday at the White House. "From the beginning, our message has been very simple. We will not be extorted on this crazy plot of theirs," Mr. Trump said. Republican lawmakers like Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R) also point the finger at the other party. "We are going to keep voting to open the government and eventually, the Democrats, hopefully sooner or later, will come around," said Sen. Thune. Meanwhile, some California seniors living on a fixed income, like Shari Horne, feel caught off guard with their CalFresh payments in jeopardy. Horne receives a few hundred dollars a month on her CalFresh card. She cares for her husband with disabilities. "We're very concerned. There's a lot of people here that depend on that," Horne said. "It's very challenging. I hadn't thought about what we would do because I didn't know this was going to happen." The Yolo Food Bank is working to add those emergency food distribution events to their calendar, with dates and times still to be determined. The hope is that in the days to come, they will not be needed if the government reopens.
