Oct 27 Coalition letter to invest state resources in November SNAP benefits during federal shutdown

October 27, 2025

The Honorable Gavin Newsom
Governor, State of California
1021 O. St Suite
Sacramento, CA 95814

The Honorable Mike McGuire
Senate President Pro Tempore
1021 O St., Suite 8518
Sacramento, CA 95814

The Honorable Robert Rivas
Speaker of the Assembly
State Capitol P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-002

Dear Governor Newsom, Pro Tem McGuire, and Speaker Rivas,

Thank you for your leadership to prevent poverty-related hunger for Californians, including for food banks and other essential services during this federal government shutdown. As you have warned, October 23rd was the last day to prevent unprecedented harm from delays and/or disruptions to the 5 million Californians, including 2 million children, who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, known as CalFresh) benefits to eat.

We continue to press the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to uphold the clear legal obligation that SNAP benefits are federally entitled, and to immediately direct states to issue full November benefits. As well, for our Congressional leaders to end the shutdown with the passage of a continuing resolution that does not include sunsetting important healthcare funding for middle class and working Californians. At this time, however, the USDA and Congressional leaders have made clear that the federal government is prepared to abandon its obligation.

This situation requires your continued leadership, by investing state resources to prevent an unprecedented hunger and economic crisis. Our 71 organizations urge you to provide state-funded CalFresh benefits as soon as possible, including whatever authorities are necessary, and replace the full $1.1 billion[2] in November SNAP benefits. If that amount is not possible, to replace benefits on an equitable basis.[3] We would request the USDA to reimburse California for these benefits that are clearly a federal responsibility, and investments must not affect state commitments to continuing other vital programs.

Other states, such as Governor Youngkin of Virginia,[4] and the Vermont House of Representatives,[5] have announced state plans to invest in November SNAP benefits.

Families are already struggling to afford food, and the loss of $1.1 billion in food benefits would transform that into a crisis of unthinkable magnitude. Your action will prevent irrevocable harms to children, families, and our economy:

• Even a short-term period of hunger has lifelong consequences for children’s growth and development.[6] Children simply do not get back the days that they go hungry.
• Each $1 in SNAP benefits creates as much as $1.80 as benefits are spent at retailers, and each $1 billion in SNAP benefits creates 13,560 jobs across our food economy including farmworkers, trucking and logistics, grocery, and other sectors.

We again thank you for your committed leadership that no Californian go hungry, and your national leadership to maximize CalFresh and the federal nutrition programs as our first and best line of defense against hunger and poor nutrition.

We look forward to working with you on this request and stand ready to support the Administration and Legislature to support California through the crisis caused by the federal government shutdown.

Sincerely,  

AAPIs for Civic Empowerment (AAPI FORCE)
Agricultural Community Events Farmers' Markets
Agricultural Institute of Marin
Alchemist CDC
Allstar Organics
Black Women for Wellness Action Project
California Association of Food Banks
California Child Care Resource & Referral Network
California Competes
California Grocers Association
California Partnership to End Domestic Violence
California Retailer’s Association
California Women's Law Center
Center for Healthy Communities
Central California Food Bank
Child Care Law Center
The Children’s Partnership
Coalition of California Welfare Rights Organizations
Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, CHIRLA
Coastside Farmers' Markets
COOK Alliance
Community Action Partnership of Kern (CAPK)
Community Action Partnership of Orange County
Community Food Bank of San Benito County
Community Services Unlimited
Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice
Courage California
Disability Rights California
Ella Baker Center for Human Rights
End Child Poverty California powered by GRACE
End Poverty in California (EPIC)
Equal Rights Advocates
ExtraFood
Family Services Alliance
Feeding San Diego
Food Access LA
Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano
Food for People, the Food Bank for Humboldt County
Food Share of Ventura County
Foodbank of Santa Barbara County
Foodlink For Tulare County
Foxy Treats Farm
Fullwell
GLIDE
Healthcare For US
Hollywood Food Coalition
Hunger Action Los Angeles Inc
Imperial Valley Food Bank
Interfaith Sustainable Food Collaborative
Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank
The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank
Mar Vista Farmers’ Market Association
Marin County Board of Supervisors
Orange County Equity Partnership
Parent Voices California
Petaluma Bounty
Public Interest Law Project
Redwood Empire Food Bank The Resource Connection Food Bank
Rising Communities
Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services
San Geronimo Valley Community Center
Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County
Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County
Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network (SIREN)
Smart Justice
SF-Marin Food Bank
SLO Food Bank
The Social Impact Center
West Marin Food Systems Group
Westside Food Bank