SACRAMENTO — Big funding cuts are coming to food banks at both the state and federal levels.
The Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services distributed about 40 million pounds of food in 2024. Susana Liston, who gets her groceries at the food bank, calls it a lifeline for so many.
It is the place where she can stock up on free fuel to feel her best.
“It means surviving, being healthy and being able to eat,” Liston said.
Now, a full cart and full belly for thousands of Sacramentans could be at risk because of major funding cuts.
“We had 400,000 pounds of food that we had already ordered and expected to receive from that program, 11 truckloads that are no longer going to be showing up,” said Kevin Buffalino, the director of communications of the Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services.
Buffalino said the federal government pulled the plug on the U.S. Department of Agriculture program that sent 1.4 million pounds of food to Sacramento last year.
“This year, we were almost at that already. One million pounds,” he said.
Other Biden administration-era dollars are also dwindling under the Trump White House; $2.3 million that the Sacramento Food Bank received is set to run out in July 2026.
The CalFood program is also taking a significant hit in the state’s budget, dropping from $60 million to $8 million. The Sacramento food bank was getting about $2 million a year, but Buffalino said they will be back to $200,000-$250,000.
The food bank is feeding 310,000 people per month, which is double what it was feeding pre-pandemic.
Buffalino said he is grateful for the community support they receive and will need to rely even more on local donors and volunteers.
“To me, there is nothing more important to feeding our local community, so I have been a donor for years,” said Sharon Hamer, who was volunteering at the food bank for the first time with her sister-in-law.
Buffalino said the cuts will not cause them to close their doors, but they could mean less food and less variety come next year.
“I don’t even want to think about it,” Liston said. “It is stressful and it is sad.”
Local Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen is leading the charge to secure more state funding through CalFood. She is advocating to add $52 million in funding to bring the total back up to $60 million.
Her office sent CBS13 this statement:
“Cutting funding to food banks isn’t just a budget decision – it’s a moral one. At a time when so many families are struggling to put food on the table, we should be strengthening our support systems, not weakening them. That’s why I am leading the charge to restore funding to California’s food banks, which face devastating cuts both at the state and federal level.”
“Unless we act, state funding for food banks will reduce by nearly 90%. Most food banks will need to limit the amount of food offered or close existing distribution sites entirely. Unexpected federal cuts have also put a strain on our food banks – leaving a trail of uncertainty across the state and the nation. Just in Sacramento alone, 11 truckloads (about 400,000 pounds) of food have already been cancelled due to federal cuts. Now more than ever, is when we need to ensure that our food banks are fully operational, and they have the funding that is needed to be able to continue to serve these families.”
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