"The Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD), with help from local nonprofits and community volunteers, is mobilizing to offer support to families affected by the suspension of food stamp benefits, as recipients grapple with decreased assistance and uncertainty about future support while the federal government remains mired in a shutdown. The Donald Trump administration had announced on Monday that it would partially fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the federal government's largest anti-hunger program, this month to comply with a federal court ruling."
"More than 5 million Californians receive food stamp benefits through the state's CalFresh program. In Alameda County, more than 100,000 CalFresh households receive an average monthly benefit of nearly $300, supporting over 170,000 people across the region, according to 2024 county data. There are about 12,000 SNAP recipients in Berkeley who are currently experiencing delayed benefits, Berkeley Food Network Executive Director Andrew Crispin told Berkeleyside."
"So we know that there are a lot of families hurting who aren't accessing the same amount of food that they otherwise were able to. He said 47% of the community members the west Berkeley-based organization provided food assistance to in Alameda County are households with children. BUSD and other school districts typically do not track which or how many students receive benefits like CalFresh, but other data provide insight."
Berkeley Unified School District, local nonprofits, and community volunteers are mobilizing to support families affected by suspended food stamp benefits amid a federal government shutdown and shifting federal compliance decisions. The Trump administration initially announced partial SNAP funding to comply with a court ruling, then threatened to withhold aid, and later said it was fully complying. More than 5 million Californians receive CalFresh; Alameda County has over 100,000 households receiving nearly $300 monthly on average, supporting about 170,000 people. Approximately 12,000 SNAP recipients in Berkeley face delayed benefits, and 47% of Berkeley Food Network clients are households with children. Over 2,600 BUSD students qualify for free or reduced meals.
Read at www.berkeleyside.org
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