"Contra Costa County supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to provide millions of dollars in direct funding to more than 65,000 households that rely on federal food assistance, joining similar efforts across the Bay Area as benefits remain in limbo. Amid the uncertainty, Contra Costa County will allocate up to $21 million to provide debit cards to households on CalFresh, California's iteration of SNAP, beginning next week."
""The loss of CalFresh benefits threatens the food security of over 110,000 county residents," said Marla Stuart, the director of East Bay County's Employment & Human Services Department. To help households get through this week, Stuart said the county has already purchased the equivalent of 10,000 food boxes from the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano and begun distributing their contents. She said the food should be enough to serve about 40,000 people for two weeks."
Contra Costa County will allocate up to $21 million to provide debit cards to more than 65,000 households enrolled in CalFresh beginning next week. Supervisors voted unanimously to authorize the funding as federal benefits remain uncertain. County officials will use FEMA COVID-19 reimbursement funds and unallocated general fund contingency money to pay for the cards. County staff purchased the equivalent of 10,000 food boxes from the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano and began distributing them, estimating the boxes will serve roughly 40,000 people for two weeks. Marin County allocated $800,000 for payments to 15,000 recipients. Supervisors raised concerns about the sustainability of using county funds to cover federal shortfalls.
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