Dear Friend,
I am writing to you with some good news today. In the face of a tight state budget, I am proud to secure $36 million in funding to revive a CalFresh program that helps Californians afford fresh and nutritious meals. It's the largest single investment in the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program. By putting real dollars back in people's pockets, the program has been a lifeline for families in our district and beyond.
The state's renewed investment comes at a critical time. This year, we've seen record high food prices. Rising grocery costs are straining everyone's budgets. In Santa Clara and Alameda counties alone, roughly 309,000 people rely on CalFresh to make ends meet. But the federal government has turned its back on those who need assistance the most by gutting social safety net programs like SNAP and CalFresh, and imposing cruel and bureaucratic red tape.
(Santa Fe Foods' grocery store in Newark, a participating retailer of the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable Program.)
As people's benefits are being cut, more and more will lean on food banks to fill in the gap. Food banks are a vital community resource, and the state budget allocates an additional $52 million to bolster their work in combating hunger. This much needed investment will support the increasing number of families that rely on the support of food banks in our community like Second Harvest of Silicon Valley, TCV Food Bank + Mobile Pantry, and Alameda County Community Food Bank.
California is the nation's bread basket. But food insecurity is plaguing our state, and it is a priority of mine to solve this crisis as the Chair of the Assembly Human Services Committee. In May, I partnered with Chrissy Teigen to advocate for investments in food banks and CalFresh at the Capitol.
Solutions like the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Program are highly effective and scalable. The program delivers up to $60/month in extra food benefits to people with minimal overhead. What started as a pilot project has now become a model for anti-hunger programs nationwide.
Here in California, I look forward to seeing the program serve CalFresh recipients once again. I'll be sure to keep you updated when the relaunch date is announced. If you have any additional questions, please don't hesitate to contact my District Office at (408) 262-2501.
Yours in Service,
Alex Lee
Assemblymember, 24th District
