Napa County approves $1 million for emergency food aid amid federal shutdown
The Napa County Board of Supervisors has approved up to $1 million in emergency food aid funding to help residents access food if CalFresh benefits are suspended starting Saturday, Nov. 1, amid the federal government shutdown.
The funding includes grocery store gift cards, which function like Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards and will be distributed to low-income households that rely on federal food assistance.
Distribution will be managed through a partnership between the Napa Valley Community Foundation and the county’s Health and Human Services Agency. The foundation will contribute $150,000 and cover all administrative costs.
Under the initiative, the gift cards can be used to buy groceries at participating stores.
Across the United States, roughly one in eight people depend on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to afford food.
In Napa County, approximately 10,700 residents (about 6,600 households) receive CalFresh benefits, which are funded through SNAP. These benefits contribute nearly $1.9 million to the local food economy each month according to the latest data.
As the federal shutdown entered its fourth week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that SNAP benefits will cease beginning Saturday. The agency has chosen not to draw from its $5 billion contingency fund, stating that those reserves are for disaster-related emergencies.
According to the county’s approved resolution, the distribution of grocery gift cards will end once federal assistance resumes or when county officials determine that local resources are sufficient to meet residents’ needs.
In a multipronged approach, the county’s Health and Human Services Agency is also working to connect CalFresh recipients with local food banks. However, some of those food banks are already facing grocery supply shortages.
“Our supply is dwindling,” said Suzan Shaw, board president of Calistoga Cares Food Bank. “We’re down to giving out a small bag with maybe a pack of pork chops and half a gallon of milk. We used to include eggs, butter and cheese. It was a full, hearty bag. Now families only receive a box of nonperishables maybe once a month.”
The Calistoga-based food pantry currently supports about 1,400 people every two weeks.
Meanwhile, Community Action Napa Valley (CANV), the primary food bank network in the county, serves more than 15,000 individuals each month through its various programs supporting low-income residents.
“We’ve been hearing increasing concern from clients about possible CalFresh delays,” said Lisa DeRose-Hernandez, CANV’s program director, in an interview with the Napa County Times. “Many families rely on these benefits to stretch their grocery budgets, and any lapse causes significant anxiety.”
To address the heightened demand, CANV plans to expand its operating hours, adding Friday food distributions and introducing an additional third-Tuesday distribution each month to ensure families have more consistent access to nutritious food.
Local businesses are also stepping up to help. Winston’s Café & Bakery in Napa will host a free community dinner next month, inviting anyone with a CalFresh EBT card to enjoy a freshly prepared meal either for dine-in or for takeout.
“We couldn’t just stand by. We had to do something,” said co-owner Cassan Macaraig. “More than anything we want to create a space where even for a moment, the weight of the world can be lifted. Because at the heart of it all, food and community have the power to restore hope.”
CalFresh recipients and community members should stay informed through official channels.
Residents can visit the Health and Human Services Agency, call (707) 253-4511 or (800) 464-4214, or access their case information and message their caseworker online at BenefitsCal.com.
