SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — At Bay Area restaurants like Monster Pho in Oakland and Al Pastor Papi in San Francisco, the aroma of food made with love and the spirit of Halloween and DÃa de los Muertos fill the air.
There’s another spirit too: one of neighbors helping neighbors.
As the federal government shutdown continues and millions of Californians are set to lose access to CalFresh (SNAP) benefits starting Nov. 1, local restaurants are stepping in to help.
“If everyone does a little bit, it comes a long way,” said Tee Tran, owner of Monster Pho.
MAP: Percentage of the Bay Area currently on federal SNAP or CalFresh benefits:
Tran is one of several restaurant owners offering free meals to families who rely on SNAP. At his Oakland restaurant, kids 12 and under can get a free bowl of chicken, beef or veggie pho. Other family members can get a 25% discount on their meal. In San Francisco, Al Pastor Papi is giving away up to four burritos to families who show proof of SNAP benefits.
“For me, just coming from a low-income situation growing up, I know what it’s like,” said Al Pastor Papi owner Miguel Escobedo.
Tran echoed that sentiment.
“My family was on government assistance. We waited in line to get food stamps. It hits home,” reflected Tran. “Every time I see kids not getting enough food or going hungry, it makes me think of me when I was little, and it hurts.”
The movement began with a single Instagram post from Tony & Alba’s Pizza and Pasta in San Jose. Children can get a full meal and drink for free while parents get a discount.
“This is our community. We were brought up here, we brought up our kids here,” said Diana and Al Vallorz. “We have grandchildren and we would want to know that someone would care to look out for them too.”
Within hours, one act of kindness sparked another.
“It was like wildfire,” said Escobedo.
MORE: California sues Trump administration in effort to restore SNAP benefits amid government shutdown
“Now we’re seeing about five, six, seven restaurants get on,” said Tran.
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie is expected to announce on Wednesday support for San Francisco-based SNAP recipients. DoorDash, headquartered in San Francisco, says it will waive delivery fees and offer free meals to affected families.
For many of these immigrant-owned businesses, helping is from the heart and a reflection of their own personal stories.
“My biggest belief is immigrants make America great,” said Tran. “We work hard, we’re very family-oriented, and we love giving back because we understand that’s how communities are built.”
“This country, especially in the Bay Area, is a lot of immigrants. We’re no strangers working together” added Escobedo. “We really need each other. We come together.”
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