Malibu\u2019s Burgers<\/a>: 326 23rd St., Oakland; Free meals for anyone in need<\/p>\n Monster Pho<\/a>: 360 40th St., Oakland; Choice of free bowl of pho for children 12 years old and younger and 25% off for parents<\/p>\n Puerto Rican Street Cuisine<\/a>: 1430 23rd Ave., Oakland; Free kid\u2019s meal, empanada with rice or beans, for children 12 years old and younger (limit one per household)<\/p>\n Understory<\/a>: 3340 International Blvd., Oakland; Free meal or pay-what-you-can for anyone in need<\/p>\n Wahpepah\u2019s Kitchen<\/a>: 3301 E. 12th St. suite #133; Oakland; Free bison tacos for \u201celders and young ones\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI ain\u2019t gonna go hungry,\u201d Jeffries said, explaining that he\u2019ll use his $200 on groceries. \u201cBut at the end of the month I\u2019ll be at zero, zero, zero. I\u2019ll have to make some sacrifices.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n He\u2019s also worried about the \u201cchaos\u201d that could ensue in neighborhoods and stores if a large portion of the community goes hungry \u2014 especially as the meal-centric holiday season looms.<\/p>\n Jeffries is not alone in his concern about the slashed benefits. Local food banks and pantries have been fielding panicked calls and long lines both in anticipation of the squeeze and as residents are already dealing with furloughs triggered by the federal shutdown and rising grocery costs.<\/p>\n \u201cThe intensity of the moment is catching up to us,\u201d said Andrew Crispin, executive director of the Berkeley Food Network<\/a>. His organization redistributes food it receives from the county food bank and elsewhere to some 30 different programs, and runs its own large pantry on 9th Street in Berkeley.<\/p>\n That pantry has been serving about 700 households each day it\u2019s open, a 30% increase over the past couple of months, Crispin said. Last week saw the longest lines.\u00a0<\/p>\n Undocumented immigrants especially often rely on pantries like Berkeley\u2019s, since they\u2019re not eligible for SNAP. Now, with the benefits paused, the resources will need to be stretched to serve a broader swath of the population.<\/p>\n Crispin said the network is in a solid position to continue serving residents, though it\u2019s always accepting volunteers<\/a>. The network expanded its pantry hours this fall to support the greater demand from all corners of the community.<\/p>\n \u201cThe folks who are at risk of losing their CalFresh benefits, they\u2019re people you know,\u201d Crispin said. \u201cThis is not a community to be othered.\u201d<\/p>\n Like SNAP money, a lot of the food that the network receives from the food bank also comes from the federal government \u2014 the U.S. Department of Agriculture, specifically. But that food is sourced far in advance, according to Crispin, so the supply won\u2019t dry out in November.<\/p>\n California is among 22 states that sued the Trump Administration<\/a> this month, arguing that the USDA has $6 billion in emergency funding available to continue providing SNAP benefits. During previous shutdowns, the government has not paused SNAP.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cBottom line, the well has run dry,\u201d reads a banner on the USDA website<\/a>, which blames Senate Democrats for the SNAP cuts. \u201cAt this time, there will be no benefits issued November 01.\u201d<\/p>\n A federal judge indicated Thursday<\/a> that she might order the release of SNAP benefits, but, given that November is two days away, benefits would likely still be delayed.\u00a0<\/p>\n Alameda County officials, food bank expand aid for November<\/p>\n The Alameda County Board of Supervisors voted last week<\/a> to allocate $10 million toward food assistance in response to the shutdown and other looming cuts to SNAP in Trump\u2019s so-called \u201cBig Beautiful Bill.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cShame on the Trump administration for its callous policies, including the government shutdown and cuts to CalFresh, that are devastating our community,\u201d said Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas, who spearheaded the vote, in a statement.<\/p>\n Bas told The Oaklandside that her office is also working with Mayor Barbara Lee and Oakland Thrives<\/a> to seek foundation support to potentially provide gift cards directly to CalFresh recipients whose benefits are delayed. This is an approach San Francisco<\/a> and Contra Costa County<\/a> are taking or plan to.\u00a0<\/p>\n Of the $10 million approved last week, more than $8 million will go to the Alameda County Community Food Bank<\/a>, a central hub for food assistance in the region, and the rest to meals for seniors.\u00a0<\/p>\n A spokesperson for the food bank said the exact uses for that money haven\u2019t been determined yet, but that \u201call of the money that comes directly to us will be spent on food procurement\u201d while \u201cthe rest of the funds will be passed through to our partners to support food distribution.\u201d<\/p>\n The state has also freed up food assistance money on a faster timeline, allowing food banks to use their entire yearly allotments upfront. The Alameda County Community Food Bank gets $2.4 million through the state program, and knowing those funds are available in advance has made a big difference for the organization, said spokesperson Cady Osgood-Otis.\u00a0<\/p>\n The food bank declined another offer from Gov. Gavin Newsom, though \u2014 support with food distribution from the state\u2019s National Guard officers. \u201cWe already have strong volunteer support and as a community-based org we\u2019re planning to resource from within our own community,\u201d Osgood-Otis said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Maria Gutierrez is one of five food bank staff who help people enroll in CalFresh. Collectively, they enroll about 125 households a month, she said.<\/p>\n Calls have increased from both people who receive the benefits and those who don\u2019t.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have been having to shift our employees to different departments \u2014 most of our CalFresh department is working with our helpline,\u201d Gutierrez said. \u201cI just assisted a client yesterday who was very hesitant. Their main concern was, is it even worth applying now?\u201d<\/p>\n The answer is yes, she said. And she reiterated that the food bank services are still operating at full force.<\/p>\n \u201cWith everything going on, we have been starting to hear from community members who are desperate, including families with children trying to figure out where their next meal will come from. They can rely on us \u2014 we\u2019re here for them,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n People looking for immediate food assistance can find a nearby pantry location on the food bank\u2019s FoodNow website<\/a>. (Note that we found not all information is up to date, so it is recommended to call ahead to confirm site details before going.)<\/p>\n One of the listed pantries, the CityTeam<\/a> site on 50th Avenue, was in full swing Tuesday.<\/p>\n Staff and volunteers were passing out chicken wings, eggs, oat milk, spaghetti, and bags of apples and sweet potatoes.<\/p>\n Ben Short, coordinator of CityTeam\u2019s 19 roving pantries, said demand hasn\u2019t increased yet, but he \u201cknows it\u2019s coming.\u201d Asked about the shutdown, Short said that his Christian faith drives his work and that he stays out of politics.\u00a0<\/p>\n Troy Hernandez was helping hand out food Tuesday on 50th Avenue. A SNAP recipient himself, Hernandez got involved with CityTeam after decades of struggling with addiction. Now in his 50s, Hernandez decided to work to get back on his feet a couple of years ago, after he was shot in the stomach.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m taken care of in the program,\u201d said Hernandez, explaining that the SNAP delay won\u2019t be as devastating for him as some others who don\u2019t have that support. \u201cBut everybody\u2019s worried about it.\u201d<\/p>\n Over a third of Alameda County families with kids affected <\/p>\n![\"CityTeam](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/CityTeam-food-distribution-2.jpg\")
Sweet potatoes and apples were available to CityTeam pantry shoppers this week. Credit: Natalie Orenstein\/The Oaklandside<\/p>\n![\"Firsdayof](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Firsdayof-school_EG_024.jpg\")
Children and seniors are hardest-hit by SNAP cuts (file photo). Credit: Estefany Gonzalez for Berkeleyside<\/p>\n