CalFresh benefits are set to plummet for almost five million people in the state starting in a few weeks - as the emergency COVID increase expires.

Individuals will lose an average of $82 a month, families will get about $200 less. Trinidad Luna of Los Angeles, who has had both his legs amputated at the knee due to diabetes, said he's gone from $215 a month down to $25.

"I don't know who came up with this price," said Luna. "I mean, did they live it? Did they say OK, I'll volunteer to live this way for about a month or two and see if it can be done? I doubt that. It's hard to get around and go to the food bank with my wheelchair falling apart, but I keep on pushing. I'm not going to give up."

Advocates advise people to take full advantage of other anti-hunger programs, such as free school breakfast and lunch - and Market Match, which doubles CalFresh dollars at participating farmers' markets.

Mary is a CalFresh recipient from Orange County who was hospitalized during COVID, has a severe eye condition, and has battled pre-diabetes. She said she will see her benefits drop from $281 a month down to $23, and worries that the drop in benefits could impact her sugar levels and overall health.

"The doctor said, 'Well, you're going to have to change your eating habits' and all these different foods that I was not used to - they are more quality, but they are also more expensive," she said. "So it did help a lot the food stamps on having better food choices to get the pre-diabetes out of my body."

Frank Tamborello - executive director of Hunger Action LA - said while people can't come close to replacing what's being cut, there are some things they can do to help.

"First of all, when people's CalFresh benefits do get adjusted downward, they can go to the county office and re-enter their monthly living expenses," said Tamborello. "And this could result in a higher benefit. Second, there are a lot of families that could qualify for the WIC program. And you're able to get the WIC and CalFresh programs at the same time."

Ana-Alicia Carr - community advocacy director in LA for the American Heart Association - noted that a recent report from the University of Southern California found that 25% of households in LA didn't have enough food on the table, and this number is even higher among Black and Latino
residents, women, young adults, and low-income households.

"Of the households who are experiencing food insecurity, four out of 10 of those report having children in the home," said Carr. "So we are seeing food insecurity at levels that are worse than even 10 years before the pandemic."

The heart association supports state Senate Bill 605, which would expand the supplemental California Fruit and Vegetable program.

Eligible Oregon families have until Monday to apply for summer food benefits.

The Summer EBT program provides families with a one-time payment of $120 per child in a household. The program was started during the pandemic and made permanent this year. Most who qualified automatically received benefits.

David Wieland, policy advocate at Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon, said one in six children in the state face food insecurity.

"We know that spikes in the summer when access to school meals is interrupted," Wieland pointed out. "Summer EBT is the most direct way of addressing that summer hunger. It lets families access food that's nourishing and appropriate for their families."

Wieland noted the state has already distributed $40 million in benefits to 330,000 children this summer.

People in Oregon and across the country are feeling pressure from increased food costs, Wieland observed, and Summer EBT is particularly appreciated by families because they can get the food they want with it.

"A lot of families have noted that Summer EBT sort of allows them some choice of what they get to feed their children during the summer," Wieland emphasized. "Some choice in providing the nutritious and culturally specific food that their children deserve."

The state's website for the program noted people's immigration status won't be asked for or considered in determining eligibility for Summer EBT. Most eligibility requirements are tied to children at schools with the National School Lunch Program and households qualifying for benefits like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.


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A new Ohio bill aims to address the growing issue of food insecurity among college students. The legislation proposes establishing food resource centers on campuses across the state.

Advocates say this would ensure that students, particularly those balancing education with supporting families, have access to nutritious meals.

This initiative is getting widespread support from student advocates - including Jolara O'Harra, a parent and a student at Columbus State Community College.

She highlighted the critical role these resources play in student success.

"We all can't do anything with empty bellies," said O'Harra. "We're going to do great things and pursue all the opportunities ahead of us, but nobody can do anything if we're hungry."

O'Hara's experience is common among students balancing education and family care.

At Columbus State, the on-campus pantry - supported by the Mid-Ohio Food Bank - has been crucial in helping students focus on their studies.

Proponents of the bill believe expanding similar resources statewide could boost academic performance and student well-being.

The bill's introduction also highlights the broader issue of food insecurity within Ohio's communities, not just on college campuses.

Stephanie Dodd, the executive director of the Community Campus Coalition, underscored the importance of raising awareness about these challenges, and points to the overwhelming demand.

"When students are coming into our student resource centers looking for access to resources," said Dodd, "they are almost always telling us that food insecurity is something that they are facing."

As Ohio lawmakers consider this bill, it highlights the struggles of students balancing academics and basic needs.

Supporters believe the initiative could benefit students and the community by connecting them with essential resources and addressing food insecurity to help all Ohioans succeed.




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This is National Farmers Market Week, but almost every week, fresh fruits and vegetables and local products attract customers to more than 8,000 farmers markets nationwide.

Pennsylvania has 287 farmers markets that cultivate community and offer access to locally grown food.

Jenny Lester Moffitt, undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, said these markets pay a vital role in the local food and farm economy. She highlighted a USDA grant awarded to strengthen the food-supply chain.

"One of our grant recipients is an organization called Food Trust, and what they're doing is they are creating small, pop-up farmers markets in areas around Philadelphia that don't have access to healthy, fresh produce," she said. "They're increasing access to fresh, healthy, locally grown produce."

She said Adagio Health in Pittsburgh addresses food insecurity by hosting farmers markets at Women's, Infants and Children's clinics. This ensures that low-income families can get fresh local foods through programs such as SNAP and WIC, which promotes healthy eating and supports local farmers.

Moffitt said farmers markets are especially important to Pennsylvania's rural communities, as they connect farmers and ranchers with local customers.

"We know that when shopping at mainstream supply chains, farmers are getting about 14 to 15 cents of the food dollar back in their pocket," she said. "But when farmers can sell direct to consumers, they keep much more of that food dollar back in their pocket. And then, of course, that money is then circulating in the community."

In Gov. Josh Shapiro's latest budget, Pennsylvania received new investments for agriculture innovation and conservation. And this week, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture encouraged farmers to apply for $13 million in tax credits to enhance soil health and water quality.


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