October 29th, 2025

LOS ANGELES, CA – Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath is urging residents to access local food resources as the federal government shutdown disrupts CalFresh benefits for nearly 1.5 million children and adults across LA County. Beginning this Saturday, November 1, CalFresh benefits will be delayed. With families facing uncertainty about where their next meal will come from, the County is expanding partnerships with local food banks and community-based organizations to ensure no one goes hungry.

“No one in Los Angeles County should go hungry because Washington refuses to act,” said Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath. “The federal government’s failure to fund CalFresh puts approximately 1.5 million families and children at risk — and that is unacceptable. In the absence of federal leadership, Los Angeles County will do what it always does: step up. We are the safety net for this region, and we will not allow our neighbors to be left behind. Everyone deserves the dignity of access to food and care. While we continue to call on Congress to do its job, we are mobilizing every local resource to make sure families are fed and supported.”

During the Board of Supervisors’ discussion today and last week, Supervisor Horvath emphasized that the County and its partners are moving quickly to prepare for the potential gap in benefits. The County’s existing network of more than 600 partners and 940 food distribution sites—coordinated through the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank—will be the backbone of this response.

CalFresh recipients began receiving notification from the State, beginning October 24th, informing them that November benefits will be delayed. Receiving these notices does not mean that CalFresh recipients’ cases are terminated or that they are no longer eligible for benefits. We encourage CalFresh recipients to continue complying with all reporting requirements to ensure their benefits are issued promptly once they become available.

Actions the County is taking include:

• Rapidly funding and signing a $10 million contract with the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank to significantly expand their food purchasing capacity for November and set up additional pop-up sites and drive-through pantry locations to reach more families. All but $25,000 of this $10 million funding will be used to purchase food to be distributed through an existing network of 940 food pantries across the County.
• L.A. Care Health Plan, which provides health care coverage for vulnerable and low-income County residents, has committed up to $5.4 million in nutrition support to fill the immediate needs created by the lapse in funding. The health plan has partnered with the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, Food Forward®, and the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles to distribute grocery gift cards and fresh foods at various distribution sites throughout Los Angeles County and is working with community-based organizations to help with distribution.
• Many County departments have also reallocated resources to provide additional support during the shutdown, with the departments of Public Social Services and Children and Family Services each contributing an additional $2 million in support and Parks and Recreation and the Department of Mental Health both setting up temporary food programs to help their clients. (See more details about departmental supports below).

Residents can find food assistance, volunteer opportunities, and information at lafoodbank.org/findfood or by calling 2-1-1.

More Information

List of Food Banks in the Third District >

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