Newsom Mobilizes National Guard Amid Food Aid Crisis in California

The ongoing federal government shutdown threatens to disrupt food assistance for millions of Californians, prompting Governor Gavin Newsom to allocate $80 million in state support and deploy the California National Guard to assist local food banks. This announcement was made on October 25, 2023, following warnings from the California Department of Social Services about potential delays in federally funded food benefits, known as CalFresh.

In a statement shared on social media, Newsom criticized the shutdown, asserting, “The Republican Government Shutdown is about to delay food benefits for MILLIONS of California families. I am deploying the National Guard on a humanitarian mission to support CA’s food banks. Donald Trump is using millions of Americans as political pawns. It’s disgusting.” Without federal intervention or a resolution to the shutdown by October 26, 2023, approximately 5.5 million low-income Californians, including nearly 3.5 million children and seniors, may not receive their November benefits.

California typically distributes about $1.1 billion in CalFresh benefits each month. While benefits for October have already been issued, individuals applying for assistance between October 16 and October 31 will not receive support for the latter half of October or for November. Furthermore, recipients of the California Food Assistance Program, which provides aid to eligible noncitizens unable to access federal support, can also expect delays.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service, responsible for the federal benefit program, did not provide comments but referred to a memo issued on October 10, indicating insufficient funds for the upcoming month.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins criticized Democratic leaders for the funding issues, suggesting that their priorities have shifted towards providing healthcare for undocumented immigrants instead of safeguarding food security for American families. This statement reflects a broader partisan conflict regarding budget allocations and priorities.

Recent data from the Public Policy Institute of California reveal that nearly a quarter of California households faced food insecurity in 2023. In response to the shutdown’s impact, local food banks in San Diego County, which has the highest military population in the state, are establishing pop-up food distribution sites to assist not only civilians but also armed service members and federal employees struggling with food access.

As the situation evolves, the state’s response illustrates the human cost of political stalemates at the federal level, highlighting the urgent need for a resolution to ensure that vulnerable populations receive the support they rely upon.