As the Senate races to achieve the deadline that they have set for themselves with regard to the passage of the One Big Beautiful Act on July 4, time is running out.
With this plan, the funding for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits across the country might be reduced by billions of dollars.
Casey Castillo, the CEO of the San Diego Food Bank, warns that the demand might climb even more if the federal government moves forward with funding cuts to SNAP benefits. The San Diego Food Bank sees a spike in need over the summer months, when children who rely on free or reduced lunches get out of school.
Volunteers and staff members at the food bank work tirelessly throughout the year to load boxes with food in order to provide those who are in most need with the nourishment they require.
The statement made by Castillo was as follows: “I believe that everyone deserves to have a full belly, and we have the opportunity to solve a significant problem.”
According to Castillo, during the current fiscal year, they have delivered more than 43 million meals.
“That is a record, it is the second most in our 48-year history,” he said. “That is really impressive.”
According to estimates, the One Big Beautiful Act may cut funding for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments by between $200 and $300 billion, despite the fact that there is a significant demand to combat food poverty.
According to him, “When the nation sees those cuts, then more people go to food banks and have to get in line at distribution sites and really rely on food banks more.” If this happens, then more people will go to food banks.
Over 5.3 million people in the state of California are eligible to receive benefits from the CalFresh program, as reported by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
Approximately one in seven people living in California.
According to Kellie Flores, who is the vice president of policy and advocacy for the California Association of Food Banks, “CalFresh provides nine meals for every one meal that is provided by that food bank.”
There is a possibility that 67,000 people who are now enrolled in the program could lose their benefits in San Diego County.
In light of the severity of the situation that is currently being discussed, Flores stated that the additional work that is being done by food banks is not sufficient to fill the gap that we would anticipate having.
A final vote on the bill is currently being held in the Senate, after it has already been approved by the House.
Beginning at that point, it makes one last trip back to the House of Representatives before arriving at the president’s desk.
“We are counting on Republicans to get the job done,” said Karoline Leavitt, the press secretary for the White House. “During the home stretch, Republicans need to remain tough and unified at all times.”
It is expected that senators will have a busy week ahead of them as a result of President Donald Trump’s deadline of July 4 to enact the approximately 1,000-page piece of legislation.
It is a really tough situation for those who work in government every year that we have not been able to pass a budget on time before the first of October of that fiscal year. Armen Kurdian, a political analyst, stated that it makes life extremely challenging for those who work in the sector, and it also makes goods more valuable.
It is therefore the intention of the San Diego Food Bank to continue to stock up in order to satisfy the growing demand.
It is important to be aware that there may be a greater need in the future and to think about methods to assist, as Castillo said.
The food bank is always looking for people to donate their time and make donations. Visit the website sandiegofoodbank.org for additional information if you are interested in contributing to the cause.
