Today, San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chair Pro Tem Paloma Aguirre and Chair Terra Lawson-Remer's Board Measure calling on the federal government to move with urgency to get food assistance to San Diego County families on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP/CalFresh), was approved unanimously.

On November 1, SNAP funding lapsed for the first time in U.S. history during a government shutdown, cutting off benefits for millions of Americans. It took two federal judge’s court rulings to force the Trump Administration to acknowledge this crisis, but even now, the Administration plans to restore only half of the funding needed for the program, with no clarity or timeline for when the funds will reach EBT cards.

“There’s never a shortage of money for corporate tax breaks or lavish spending, but when working families need help, the well suddenly runs dry,” said Chair Pro Tem Paloma Aguirre. “No family in San Diego County should ever have to wonder where their next meal will come from. Yet today, that is the reality for more than 42 million Americans. My district has the largest SNAP recipient population in the County, and I will speak up for them.”

Across the country, more than 42 million Americans depend on SNAP. The impact in San Diego County alone is immediate and devastating, with nearly 400,000 residents relying on CalFresh to purchase food, including 125,000 children and 100,000 seniors. Families still don’t have their benefits, and the hunger crisis that Trump created is getting worse by the day.

One in four CalFresh households in San Diego has zero balance left on their EBT cards. Another 45 percent have less than fifty dollars – not enough to make it to the middle of the week. That means nearly 70 percent of families who rely on CalFresh in San Diego County are already running out of food.

“The Trump Administration could have used billions in emergency SNAP reserves to keep food flowing to families – to make sure no one went hungry because of Washington’s dysfunction,” said Chair Terra Lawson-Remer. “Instead, President Trump actively chose not to do so.”

The Board action: 

· Directs the County’s Chief Administrative Officer to transmit a letter to the USDA demanding immediate release of SNAP contingency reserves and use of federal transfer authority to sustain benefits. 

· Coordinates with the California State Association of Counties (CSAC) and other counties to support a statewide coalition urging federal action to prevent interruptions in nutrition assistance. 

· Waives Board Policy A-72, allowing the item to move forward on an emergency timeline. 

Families in every district of San Diego County will be affected: 

·        District 1: 113,084 recipients 

·        District 2: 80,929 recipients 

·        District 3: 28,509 recipients 

·        District 4: 99,050 recipients 

·        District 5: 61,841 recipients 

Every child, every parent, and every senior in San Diego County deserves the dignity of a full plate and the peace of mind that comes with knowing they can feed their family.