Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday announced in a news release he intends to deploy the California National Guard to support food banks across the state.
The move comes amid a federal government shutdown that has delayed food benefits for millions of California families, according to the governor’s office.
Newsom also is fast-tracking upwards of $80 million in state support ahead of funding delays caused by the shutdown, according to the release.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday announced in a news release he intends to deploy the California National Guard to support food banks across the state.
The National Guard deployment is similar to an action Newsom took in March 2020 in which the Cal Guard aided food banks during the pandemic, the governor’s office said.
Newsom made it a point to add that Cal Guard troops will not be acting as law enforcement. They are being sent to support the food banks just as they do for other governor-directed missions such as aiding wildfire preparedness and response, tackling deadly drug trafficking and bolstering medical capacity during the pandemic.
“Trump’s failure isn’t abstract – it’s literally taking food out of people’s mouths,” Newsom said in the release. “This is serious, this is urgent – and requires immediate action. Millions of Americans rely on food benefits to feed their families, and while Republicans in Washington drag their feet, California is stepping up once again to fill in the gaps. I’m expediting state funds for food banks and directing the California National Guard and California Volunteers to help distribute this food to families. As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, California is working to ensure CalFresh recipients don’t go hungry while food prices are spiking under President Trump.”
The governor’s office added that the federal government shutdown impacts CalFresh funds for new enrollees to the program during the second half of October and then for all 5.5 million enrollees after Oct. 23, unless the federal government reopens.