Lines at the SSIP Food Closet are growing as the federal government shutdown delays CalFresh benefits.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — At the South Sacramento Interfaith Partnership Food Closet (SSIP Food Closet), lines of families are growing as the federal government shutdown delays CalFresh benefits. Executive Director Simon Yeh said the impact is hitting faster than expected in the Sacramento region.
“We have lines waiting here and lines waiting there,” Yeh said. “We knew and we were anticipating for this next wave. Today I just didn’t realize how quickly it would come to us.”
The food closet, which has served the community for 55 years and opens from Monday to Friday from 9 am to 11:30 am, has been averaging about 250 clients a day. On one recent morning, nearly 350 families were served before closing at 11:30 a.m.
People are now requesting fresh produce over canned goods, and Yeh says some visitors aren’t typically low-income.
“So they can choose to buy the pair of shoes for the child that’s going to school instead of paying for the food that we can provide. It is really hard what is going on. Our clients, they really super duper appreciate us and they come with got much gratitude,” Yeh said.
He urged the community to step up, volunteer, and support local food banks.
“Food closets are struggling right now. They are needing donations and dollar. They need money. They need volunteer time,” said Yeh.
The surge at food closets reflects a larger issue in Sacramento County, where about 270,000 people rely on CalFresh for food. County officials say thousands of children will also be impacted by the pause in benefits.
“This is beyond the county’s control, so really at this point, we are messaging to our customers, connecting them with other resources that we have available, whether through our local 211 or our food banks,” said Eduardo Ameneyro, deputy director of the Sacramento County Department of Human Assistance.
For residents like Celine Cazares, who depends on CalFresh to feed her family, the delay is frightening.
“It is scary me to the point where I don’t want to not have food for me or my family,” Cazares said. “It’s affecting me to the point where I have to do like house cleaning and stuff just so I know that I have food on my table.”
She added, “When people can’t have EBT next month, they are starting to do other things like criminal acts to get food for their children.”
Benefits remain on hold until the government reopens, but anyone with existing funds on their EBT card can continue using them as usual.
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