California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced during his daily press briefing on Wednesday that changes to the CalFresh program will increase access for children, seniors and families through online ordering and a new Pandemic-EBT program.
Additionally, he said the state will partner with food banks, farms, local producers and ranchers to create "food boxes," providing families with fresh produce.
On unemployment, Newsom said 3.7 million people have filed for unemployment insurance in the state. This includes a spike of 235,000 yesterday — the first day of the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program to help self-employed and independent workers.
"I am deeply aware that many of you tried to access that system online and struggled to get in," Newsom said. "We have to meet the moment and provide more support."
Newsom said they will extend hours and provide more staff.
Additionally, the governor said that the state has acquired 12,603 hotel rooms to provide housing for the homeless. "Thousands of individuals now have a place, at least for the moment, to call home," Newsom said.
Additional updates on testing and contact tracing are expected tomorrow.
— Lakshmi Sarah (@lakitalki)
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