Californians who rely on CalFresh — the state’s version of SNAP, formerly known as food stamps — are seeing delays in their benefits because of the federal government shutdown. That’s leaving many college students uncertain about how they’ll afford their next meal.
Two federal judges on Friday ordered the Trump administration to continue funding for the food program. But it wasn’t clear how fast that could take place as reloading the benefits can take one to two weeks. And the White House said on Monday federal contingency funds will pay for only half the amount people normally get.
At Sacramento State’s ASI Food Pantry last week, transfer student Tylor Williams was picking up groceries — produce, a few cans of tuna and Impossible Burgers.
“You can get unlimited produce here so that’d be clutch,” Williams said. “I went on Facebook Marketplace and found a five-dollar juicer. I wasn’t even a juicer before, but now I know why people be juicing.”
Williams said this semester has been difficult. He recently moved to Sacramento from Los Angeles and has been relying on CalFresh for the past two months.
“Covering these first two payments for housing — it definitely drained the account practically to zero,” he said. “So the benefits were really helpful, especially for the price of eggs, mayo, bread, oil, butter — like basic things.”
Jane Nguyen, coordinator for the pantry, said demand is rising. Nearly 700 students visited the pantry in a single week earlier this semester, a record for the school.
“We’re trying our best to keep volume, variety and balance for our students,” Nguyen said.
That means making sure shelves are stocked with high-protein foods like tuna and culturally relevant items. She said the biggest factor driving demand is the rising cost of living.
“If students are already spending the funds that they’re using on their rent, they’re not going to be able to afford a meal,” she added. “And that’s what we’re hoping our resource is able to fulfill — that gap for students.”
UC Davis
Across the causeway at UC Davis, Leslie Kemp, who directs the school’s Aggie Compass Basic Needs Center, said the CalFresh delays could affect thousands of students.
“We suspect somewhere between 3,000 and 6,000,” she said. “The level of impact is tremendous on our campus.”
Kemp estimated that half a million dollars or more in food assistance for UC Davis students was delayed.
“Students are always prioritizing what to pay and what they think they can get by without,” she said. “Food is probably the first thing to go, and that’s why CalFresh is so important — because it’s money dedicated to food.”
Students can qualify up to $300 a month through CalFresh, which Kemp argued is critical as those enrolled in the program are among the most financially vulnerable on campus.
“We’re talking about students who have qualified for a federal government means-tested program,” she explained. “They are in need, and now their benefits are being denied.”
A growing need
Jennifer Hogg, a senior research manager with the California Policy Lab at UC Berkeley, said the timing of the delay couldn’t be worse as more college students depend on CalFresh now than ever before.
“The average college student today is really individually responsible for paying not only for school, but to pay for their basic needs like food and housing,” Hogg said. “So programs like CalFresh can really help ease the burden a little bit.”
A recent study Hogg worked on found that nearly 21% of UC Davis students were enrolled in CalFresh two years ago. Roughly 14% of community college students and 12% of graduate students were also enrolled. Data isn’t yet available for the CSU system.
Hogg estimates UC and community college students statewide are seeing more than $40 million in benefits being delayed.
“It’s not just the money that individuals rely on,” she said. “That money goes towards grocery stores and stimulates local economies.”
Aaron Kunst, co-director of CalFresh outreach for Chico State’s Center for Healthy Communities, helps oversee CalFresh programs on college campuses statewide. He said the system is already stretched thin.
“College students are seeking food resources at a dramatically higher rate,” he said. “We’re at a really challenging point because we have more demand and the same or less amount of resources for those pantries, basic needs staff and that overall work. That’s something that’s kind of all coming together in a perfect storm.”
Making things work
Back at Sacramento State, transfer student Williams said he’s been stretching what he gets from the food pantry as long as he can.
“I’ve been making a lot of tuna rice bean bowls cause I feel like that’s a good combo that’s high on protein, low in calories and you can get like at least three or four meals out of,” he said.
But with his CalFresh benefits running low, Williams said he’s already had to change his Thanksgiving plans.
“I was trying to do like a friendsgiving cause I felt like these midterms really hit a lot of people very hard… but my SNAP benefits, I’m damn near to my last 30, so I’m like already cutting it close to that,” he said. “I’m really just trying to save that for a last emergency.”
Williams said he still plans to make something small with what he has as a way to thank friends who’ve supported him since he moved to Sacramento.
Gerardo Zavala is the communities reporter at CapRadio. CapRadio is a partner of The Intersection and CVJC.
You must be logged in to post a comment.