California National Guard to Support Food Banks as Federal Shutdown Drags On

A California National Guard unit is coming to the Bay Area — but not as part of President Trump’s deployments.

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday that he would activate the military reserve force to support food banks across California as the federal government shutdown drags on, threatening to delay and stall food stamp payments for millions of residents.

Newsom also vowed to fast-track up to $80 million in state funding for food banks, which are likely to see an influx of clients in the coming weeks as people wait for their CalFresh and other federal food assistance funds.

“Trump’s failure isn’t abstract — it’s literally taking food out of people’s mouths,” Newsom said in a statement on Wednesday. “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.”

White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told KQED in a statement that Democrats could choose to end the shutdown at any time by supporting a continuing resolution that would extend federal appropriations, saying, “Newscum should urge his Democrat pals to stop hurting the American people.”

Earlier this week, Newsom warned that if the shutdown drags on past Thursday, 5.5 million recipients of CalFresh — California’s iteration of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — could have to wait longer for the benefits they rely on to feed themselves and their families in November. Payments typically arrive within the first 10 days of each month.

That’s because the federal government directed states to hold the month’s benefit data, which is usually used to allocate CalFresh funds to residents with benefit cards, he said.

It’s not clear whether CalFresh recipients will receive future benefits payments at all if the shutdown continues.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins told reporters last week that SNAP would run out of money in two weeks if the shutdown continued, and the Department of Agriculture hasn’t provided a 2025 contingency plan, according to the Food Research and Action Center.

The department could technically tap into reserves, but it’s unknown how flush that fund is.

The shutdown could also begin causing delays to state-funded food benefit programs, Newsom said.

In the meantime, California Guard troops, alongside California Volunteers members, will help food banks absorb higher demand — especially as the Thanksgiving holiday approaches.

“The California Military Department, under the direction of the Governor’s Office, is proud to support food bank operations across the state,” said Major General Matthew P. Beevers, adding that the action would be similar to the agencies’ deployment during the start of the pandemic in March 2020. “We are dedicated to this critical mission, ensuring that those in need receive the assistance they deserve.”