Copyright Santa Rosa Press Democrat
Inside the Redwood Empire Food Bank’s Santa Rosa warehouse, operations are ramping up as staff brace for what could be a flood of new need. With the federal government shutdown stretching into its fourth week, local food banks are preparing for the moment tens of thousands of North Bay residents lose access to federal food assistance. The suspension of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — or SNAP, known in California as CalFresh — could leave more than 50,000 people in Sonoma and Napa counties without monthly aid starting this weekend. “For every one meal that the Redwood Empire Food Bank provides, SNAP would provide nine,” said Allison Goodwin, the organization’s president and CEO. “While there isn’t this direct impact to food bank programs, it does impact every food bank.” The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the suspension of benefits last week, citing a lack of funding amid a prolonged budget stalemate in Congress. “The well has run dry,” the agency’s notice read. “At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 1.” The cutoff could leave roughly 43,000 Sonoma County residents and nearly 11,000 in Napa County without federal help to buy groceries, a ripple effect that threatens to overwhelm food banks already stretched by inflation and seasonal demand. In Napa County, Community Action of Napa Valley is expanding operations and adding a fourth day of service to meet the surge. Starting next week, its central pantry on Kaiser Road — typically open Tuesday through Thursday — will also open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fridays, Executive Director Drene Johnson said. The nonprofit is also expanding its weekly Free Food Market to Tuesdays, beginning Nov. 4, offering fresh produce at the county’s Health and Human Services Agency on Napa Valley Corporate Drive. On Monday, the Napa County Board of Supervisors approved up to $1 million in emergency food assistance to help cover the gap as federal benefits lapse. The program, developed with the Napa Valley Community Foundation, will provide grocery store gift cards to CalFresh recipients for up to two months. County officials said the plan mirrors methods used during the pandemic and wildfires to reach families quickly. It wasn’t immediately clear if the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors would take similar action; as of Monday evening, no such item appeared on its Tuesday agenda. “We have got plans in action, we just don’t know right now the volume,” Johnson said. “We’ll see quite early on the first week what we need to do.” Johnson said she has also asked for help from the California National Guard, which Gov. Gavin Newsom has offered to deploy to support food distribution statewide. It’s unclear if or when that assistance will arrive, but Johnson said she hopes Guard members could help transport food. At Redwood Empire Food Bank, trucks will begin carrying extra loads to about 14 sites across Sonoma County this week — community centers, churches and parking lots equipped to handle larger crowds and heavier demand. About two to three of those locations will receive expanded deliveries each day, Goodwin said. The nonprofit has already seen an uptick in visits this month, she said, though it’s unclear how much is tied to the shutdown versus other seasonal factors, like higher utility bills and holiday expenses. Still, staff are bracing for a sharp jump. The Redwood Empire Food Bank expects a 20% to 30% increase in households seeking help, Goodwin said. The organization, which directly serves about 142,000 residents — roughly 50,000 households — has prepared for a surge of up to 40%, or capacity to serve as many as 70,000 households if needed. This number doesn’t include the other residents served through the organization’s pantry network with about 130 nonprofit and faith-based organizations. Goodwin toured several distribution sites Monday and said crowds remained steady — for now. “We might be a little bit ahead of the game,” Goodwin said, “but we’re OK with that.” This story is developing. Check back for updates.
