CalFresh benefits delayed for SLO County families amid shutdown. How to get help
More than 29,000 San Luis Obispo County residents will receive less help feeding their families than usual due to the federal government’s ongoing shutdown.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — called CalFresh in California — will only be partly funded in November, President Donald Trump’s administration announced Monday, Nov. 3.
The move follows two judges’ rulings that food aid payments must continue amid the shutdown, The Associated Press previously reported.
Previously, in an Oct. 24 memo, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said all SNAP payments would stall beginning Nov. 1, blaming Democrats in Congress for refusing to pass a federal government spending plan.
Here’s what that means for SLO County residents:
What is SNAP?
About one in eight Americans rely on the country’s largest nutrition assistance program, which costs the federal government about $8 billion to run each month.
The Trump administration said it will pull $4.65 million from an emergency fund to pay for around half of all SNAP benefits in November, the Associated Press reported.
However, in a Truth Social post on Tuesday, Nov. 4, Trump said benefits “will be given only when the Radical Left Democrats open up government.”
Food aid funds are typically delivered on electronic benefit transfer cards within the first 10 days of the month.
In San Luis Obispo County, recipients spend about $6 million in CalFresh distributions each month at local grocery stores and farmers’ markets, according to the CalFresh data dashboard.
As of Tuesday, Nov. 4, it was unclear when or if any food stamps will be issued to SLO County recipients in November.
“At this time, we have not yet received direction from the federal or state government and are standing by for additional information,” Jenny Hart, San Luis Obispo County Department of Social Services division manager, told The Tribune on Monday.
SLO Food Bank prepares for surge of new recipients
Due to the deferred CalFresh payments, local food banks and aid organizations are preparing for an onslaught of new and returning residents who are desperately seeking food assistance, according to SLO Food Bank CEO Molly Kern.
Already the SLO Food Bank has seen an influx of calls and emails from food-insecure residents.
“This is unprecedented,” Kern told The Tribune. “People are truly panicked about what this will mean for them and their families.”
The SLO Food Bank does not receive any federal funds from SNAP, however, the organization is a crucial arm of anti-hunger assistance in the county, according to Kern.
The food bank feeds about 45,000 people per month, which includes about 18,000 CalFresh recipients.
“(CalFresh) is the most effective and efficient way to administer hung relief, but we know that it doesn’t go far enough, especially in a community like ours, which has an incredibly high cost of living,” she said.
Kern expects thousands of first-time food bank recipients to show up at distribution events in the coming weeks, including folks who rely on monthly CalFresh funds and government employees who have not been paid since the shutdown started.
Currently, the SLO Food Bank is preparing for the surge in need by bringing more food than usual to distribution sites and to more than 70 local nonprofit partners.
Kern said the food bank’s primary plan is to simply increase the amount of food available at food pantries, kitchens, meal sites and neighborhood food distribution events across the county.
The goal is to meet the rise in need by working within the existing system, Kern said.
On Friday, about a dozen volunteers organized at SLO Food Bank’s warehouse at 1180 Kendall Road in San Luis Obispo to fill food orders for local agencies. The crew spent three hours boxing up broccoli, packing up pallets of produce and doling bell peppers, berries, canned goods and bulk food into dozens of bins.
“It’s incredible, the amount of food that flows through here,” SLO Food Bank volunteer John Hausman said. “(It) seems like that’s only going to have to increase to the extent that we can cover that.”
The food bank may also launch new pop-up food distribution sites if the organization’s current network becomes too strained due to the reduction in CalFresh benefits.
While Kern feels confident the SLO Food Bank can provide enough hunger relief to meet the community’s needs for the time being, she said it will be impossible to maintain indefinitely.
“The length of time is really obviously, the deepest unknown,” she told The Tribune. “Food banks were just never meant to be a replacement for essential benefits or earned wages, and that’s what we’re being asked to do right now.”
Which benefit programs have funding amid government shutdown?
While CalFresh benefits were still delayed as of Tuesday in SLO County, other assistance programs remain funded.
The Woman, Infant and Children Program, also known as WIC, continues to serve, enroll and issue food aid to California families during the government shutdown, according to the program’s website.
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program— called CalWORKs in California — will be funded by the state through November, the California Department of Social Services said. However, December benefits are at risk if the government shutdown is still underway next month.
CalFresh recipients can still use money from past months’ payments as usual, but EBT cards will not gain any new funds until federal funding resumes.
People can also still apply for the CalFresh program, Hart told The Tribune. Applications can be submitted in person at SLO County Department of Social Services offices or online at BenefitsCal.com.
Where to find free food in SLO County
You can find food resources including free meals, food distributions and pantries in SLO County at findfoodslo.org.
Residents can call the SLO Food Bank at 805-238-4664 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday to speak with someone about nearby food resources.
Meals and groceries are completely free and open to the public, Kern said.
The SLO Food Bank will ask for your first name and th number of people in your household. You’ll also be asked for your ZIP code, although you’re not required to share that information.
You don’t need to bring or show any form of identification to receive aid.
You can also find resources through United Way of SLO County’s Helpline by calling 211, texting 898-211 or visiting 211slo.org.
How to help the hungry in SLO County
You can help to provide hunger-relief by volunteering or donating to the SLO Food Bank, Kern said.
While November volunteer shifts at the food bank are practically full, you can still sign up to get on the volunteer list and fill any last-minute needs as they arise, according to Kern.
“We might be ramping up things with short notice ... so having that group of people to answer that call if something does come up with a tight turnaround is incredibly helpful,” she said.
Beyond volunteer shifts, Kern said the most meaningful way to contribute currently is through financial donations.
You can donate to the SLO Food Bank online at donate.slofoodbank.org. You can send checks to the SLO Food Bank at 1180 Kendall Road, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401.
This story was originally published November 4, 2025 at 11:00 AM.
