DAVIS AND UC DAVIS HEALTH. WELL, ANOTHER HIT FOR FOOD BANKS WITH THE U.S. AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT HALTING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF DELIVERIES IT HAD PREVIOUSLY ALLOCATED HALF $1 BILLION IN DELIVERIES THIS YEAR THROUGH THE EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. AND NOW FOOD BANKS DON’T KNOW IF THEY WILL GET THOSE MUCH NEEDED DELIVERIES OF FOOD. KCRA 3’S DENEEKA HILL EXPLAINS HOW THIS IS IMPACTING LOCAL FOOD BANKS AND THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THEY SERVE. SO WHAT’S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IS THE ADMINISTRATION IS LOOKING AT THESE COVID ERA PROGRAMS AS THEY’RE LABELING THEM AND STARTING TO, YOU KNOW, SCALE THEM BACK. THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE UNDER THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, MAKING YET ANOTHER CUT, IMPACTING FOOD BANKS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. TODAY, WE’RE TALKING ABOUT CTC PROGRAM, WHICH HAS BEEN HALTED. WE HAVE ABOUT 400,000 POUNDS OF FOOD THAT WE’VE ALREADY ORDERED THROUGH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT IS CURRENTLY FROZEN. 11 TRUCKLOADS OF MILK, CHICKEN, EGGS AND OTHER SUPPLIES. UNCLEAR IF IT WILL ACTUALLY BE DELIVERED. WE HAVE SEEN, YOU KNOW, STORIES IN THE MEDIA THAT THOSE LOADS HAVE BEEN CANCELED FOR SOME FOOD BANKS. WE HAVEN’T RECEIVED OFFICIAL NOTICE OF CANCELLATION YET. THIS IS BASICALLY THE HUB FOR THE DISTRIBUTION CENTERS ACROSS THE COUNTY. SO MANY OF THE SUPPLIES GIVEN OUT AT THE MORE THAN 200 DISTRIBUTION POINTS COMES FROM HERE. TODAY WILL LIKELY SERVE ABOUT 400 TO 450 HOUSEHOLDS. WELL OVER 1000 PEOPLE. AND THAT’S PRETTY TYPICAL. AND THE NUMBERS ARE CLIMBING. HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE LINING UP AT THE RIVER CITY FOOD BANK IN MIDTOWN SACRAMENTO. IT HAS BEEN VERY BENEFICIAL. YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE VEGETABLES, THINGS THAT ARE NUTRITIOUS. FOR SOME, THE FOOD BANK IS JUST A MEANS TO GET BY. I NEED IT, AND I’M NOT, YOU KNOW, HIGH IN INCOME. AND AND IT HAS HELPED ME. BUT FOR OTHERS, IT’S ALL THEY HAVE TO SURVIVE. THAT’S ALL RIGHT. I’LL DRINK IT, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT I’M BETTER THAN THIS. BUT EVERYBODY NEED HELP. EVERYBODY NEEDS A CHANCE. WITH FEDERAL RESOURCES IN LIMBO, THE FOOD BANK SAYS NOW THEY MUST RELY ON CORPORATIONS AND PRIVATE DONATIONS. FUNDING ALREADY WAS WAS NOT ENOUGH TO COVER OUR NEIGHBORS IN NEED. AND WE’RE GOING TO NEED THE COMMUNITY, HOPEFULLY TO TO STEP UP AND SUPPORT THE FOOD BANK AND SUPPORT OUR NEIGHBORS IN NEED. IN SACRAMENTO COUNTY, DENEEKA HILL KCRA THREE NEWS. NOW, THIS CUT IS IN ADDITION TO ANOTHER BIG CUT WE REPORTED ON LAST WEEK. THE USDA CUT MORE THAN $1 BILLION TO FOOD BANKS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS FROM A PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES MONEY TO BUY PRODUCE FROM LOCAL FARMERS. THES

USDA halts food deliveries, Sacramento food banks face another crisis

Food banks across the nation, including those in Sacramento, are grappling with a significant blow as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) pauses millions of dollars worth of food deliveries. These deliveries, previously funded by the USDA’s Emergency Food Assistance Program, allocated $500 million to food banks earlier this year. Now, their future hangs in uncertainty. “What’s happening right now is the administration is looking at these Covid-era programs, as they’re labeling them, and starting to scale them back,” said Kevin Buffalino with the Sacramento County Food Bank.| PREVIOUS COVERAGE | ‘A lot of uncertainty’: Food banks, school districts will lose federal funding under Trump Administration Among these changes is the halting of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), leaving food banks with gaps in supply.“We have about 400,000 pounds of food that we’ve already ordered through the federal government that is currently frozen,” Buffalino noted. This includes 11 trucks’ worth of milk, chicken, eggs and other essential items. “We have seen stories in the media that those loads have been canceled for some food banks. We haven’t received official notice of cancellation yet.”The Sacramento Food Bank serves as the central hub for over 200 distribution points across the county. Brandon Ralph, with the River City Food Bank in Midtown Sacramento, highlighted the growing need. “Today we will likely serve 400 to 450 households, well over 1,000 people, and that’s pretty typical. And the numbers are growing,” Ralph said. For many, the food bank offers temporary support, but for others, it is their only lifeline. Without clarity on federal resources, food banks must increasingly rely on private donations and corporate partnerships to meet the growing demand. “Funding already was not enough to cover our neighbors in need,” Buffalino explained. “We’re going to need the community to step up, support the food bank, and support our neighbors in need.”Buffalino and other local food bank leaders are urging the community to contribute however they can, emphasizing that the gaps left by federal cuts must be filled by collective action. The path forward remains uncertain, but for thousands of people relying on these food banks, immediate solutions are critical.For now, food banks continue to do what they can, even as they wait for clarity from federal authorities.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

Food banks across the nation, including those in Sacramento, are grappling with a significant blow as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) pauses millions of dollars worth of food deliveries.

These deliveries, previously funded by the USDA’s Emergency Food Assistance Program, allocated $500 million to food banks earlier this year. Now, their future hangs in uncertainty.

“What’s happening right now is the administration is looking at these Covid-era programs, as they’re labeling them, and starting to scale them back,” said Kevin Buffalino with the Sacramento County Food Bank.

| PREVIOUS COVERAGE | ‘A lot of uncertainty’: Food banks, school districts will lose federal funding under Trump Administration

Among these changes is the halting of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), leaving food banks with gaps in supply.

“We have about 400,000 pounds of food that we’ve already ordered through the federal government that is currently frozen,” Buffalino noted. This includes 11 trucks’ worth of milk, chicken, eggs and other essential items. “We have seen stories in the media that those loads have been canceled for some food banks. We haven’t received official notice of cancellation yet.”

The Sacramento Food Bank serves as the central hub for over 200 distribution points across the county.

Brandon Ralph, with the River City Food Bank in Midtown Sacramento, highlighted the growing need. “Today we will likely serve 400 to 450 households, well over 1,000 people, and that’s pretty typical. And the numbers are growing,” Ralph said.

For many, the food bank offers temporary support, but for others, it is their only lifeline.

Without clarity on federal resources, food banks must increasingly rely on private donations and corporate partnerships to meet the growing demand.

“Funding already was not enough to cover our neighbors in need,” Buffalino explained. “We’re going to need the community to step up, support the food bank, and support our neighbors in need.”

Buffalino and other local food bank leaders are urging the community to contribute however they can, emphasizing that the gaps left by federal cuts must be filled by collective action. The path forward remains uncertain, but for thousands of people relying on these food banks, immediate solutions are critical.

For now, food banks continue to do what they can, even as they wait for clarity from federal authorities.

See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel



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