SNAP Benefits Halted, Nonprofit Vouchers Step In for Sacramento Families
Market Match Vouchers Fill Gap for SNAP/CalFresh recipients after benefits halted
THE GAME. I’M CECIL HANNIBAL. 42 MILLION AMERICANS RELY ON SNAP BENEFITS. MORE THAN 5.5 MILLION ARE RIGHT HERE IN CALIFORNIA. BUT NOW TWO JUDGES ARE ORDERING THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO USE EMERGENCY RESERVES TO RESUME FOOD ASSISTANCE. IT’S A STEP DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN CALLING FOR. ON SOCIAL MEDIA FRIDAY, PRESIDENT TRUMP BLAMED DEMOCRATS FOR THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, ADDING I HAVE INSTRUCTED OUR LAWYERS TO ASK THE COURT TO CLARIFY HOW WE CAN LEGALLY FUND SNAP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. IT’S UNCLEAR HOW LONG BENEFITS WILL BE DELAYED AND WHETHER THEY’LL BE PAID IN FULL, SINCE THE CONTINGENCY FUND ONLY GOES SO FAR. ONE NONPROFIT IN OUR REGION IS HELPING PEOPLE BUY FOOD. KCRA 3’S IN-N-OUT CORTEZ SHOWS HOW MARKET MATCH IS STEPPING UP TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE. PEOPLE ARE JUST TRYING THEIR BEST TO KIND OF STAY HEALTHY. DO YOU NEED A BAG FOR THAT? LOCAL VENDOR ANGELICA LOPEZ KNOWS WHAT MILLIONS ON SNAP ARE FEELING TONIGHT. COMING FROM A FAMILY WHO USED TO GET THEM, SOMETIMES PEOPLE COME FROM A SINGLE PARENT HOME. THEIR MOMS WORKING THEMSELVES 2 OR 3 JOBS, AND THEY STILL CAN’T AFFORD THE RENT, THE FOOD, ALL THE EXPENSES. FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS LIKE SNAP AND CALFRESH IN LIMBO, LEAVING MILLIONS WORRIED ABOUT THE NEXT MEAL. PEOPLE’S BENEFITS HAVE GONE DOWN. THEY’VE REACHED NEAR ZERO NOW, AND THIS IS A LIFELINE. BENJAMIN BRUMMER WORKS WITH MARKET MATCH, A NONPROFIT HELPING SNAP AND CALFRESH RECIPIENTS STRETCH THEIR FOOD DOLLARS DURING THE ONGOING GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. WITHOUT SNAP, WITHOUT CALFRESH AND WITHOUT OUR BOOTH, LIKE ONE, IT HURTS. OBVIOUSLY, THE CUSTOMERS THAT COME HERE, IT HURTS THE FARMERS WHO SELL PRODUCE HERE. AND THE US DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE NOTIFYING THAT ON NOVEMBER 1ST, SNAP BENEFITS WILL RUN DRY, AFFECTING 270,000 PEOPLE IN THE SACRAMENTO REGION. ANYONE WHO COMES HERE AND TAKES $15 OUT OF THEIR CARD, THEY WILL ALSO GET $15 OF THESE VOUCHERS FOR FREE. A FOOD ATM OF SORTS, HELPING FAMILIES PUT MEALS ON THE TABLE WITH BOOTHS SET UP ACROSS SACRAMENTO COUNTY AT SOME OF OUR BUSIEST MARKETS, IT COULD EVEN REACH 600 PEOPLE. IT’S ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE SOMETHING EXTRA WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE ANYTHING. IT’S GOING TO BE A HARD TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS. IT’S LIKE A LOT OF FAMILIES AND KIDS GOING TO BE OUT OF SCHOOL, SO THIS IS JUST GOOD TO BE ABLE TO COME GET SOME APPLES, ORANGES, SOME, SOME TYPE OF NUTRIENTS TO PUT INTO THE FAMILIES. EACH TRANSACTION A GLIMPSE INTO HOW VITAL THESE BENEFITS CAN BE. IT KIND OF ALLOWS US TO GET A BROADER SPECTRUM OF CUSTOMERS. BUT PEOPLE LIKE SNAP, THEY REALLY APPRECIATE AND THEY’LL SAY, LIKE, I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS PRODUCE. SACRAMENTO CORTEZ KCRA THREE NEWS. MARKET WATCH HAS BOOTHS IN LOCATIONS OF THE MIDTOWN FARMERS MARKET, MCKINLEY PARK AND SACRAMENTO FARMERS MARKET. YOU CAN FIND THE LINK TO OUR INTERACTIVE MAP WITH LOCATIONS ACROSS THE STATE@KCRA.COM. CALIFORNIA HAS ABOUT 5.5 MILLION CAL FRESH RECIPIENTS. IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW NEEDS ASSISTANCE, JUST PULL OUT YOUR PHONE. SCAN THE QR CO
SNAP Benefits Halted, Nonprofit Vouchers Step In for Sacramento Families
Market Match Vouchers Fill Gap for SNAP/CalFresh recipients after benefits halted
Food assistance programs through the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and California’s CalFresh were suddenly cut off amid the ongoing government shutdown, impacting more than 270,000 people in the Sacramento region.The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on Nov. 1 that funds have “run dry.”Benjamin Brumer, who works with Market Match — a nonprofit that helps SNAP and CalFresh recipients stretch their food dollars — said the impact has been immediate.“People’s benefits have gone down, they’ve reached near zero now. And this is a lifeline,” Brumer said. “Without SNAP, without CalFresh, and without our booth — it hurts. It hurts the customers who rely on it, and it hurts the farmers who sell their produce here.”Market Match provides vouchers for fresh fruits and vegetables, offering up to $15 in matching funds. Customers can withdraw money from their EBT cards and receive an additional $15 to spend on produce. Recipients can visit market information booths for tokens or paper vouchers redeemable for CalFresh-eligible food items.“At some of our busiest markets, it could even reach 600 people,” Brumer added.One CalFresh recipient said the extra support made a real difference.“Always good to have some extra when you don’t have anything,” they said, adding that the holidays will be especially tough. “It’s going to be a hard time for the holidays. A lot of families and kids will be out of school.”Market Match has an interactive map where individuals can find a nearest booth near them to use for EBT purchases
Food assistance programs through the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and California’s CalFresh were suddenly cut off amid the ongoing government shutdown, impacting more than 270,000 people in the Sacramento region.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on Nov. 1 that funds have “run dry.”
Benjamin Brumer, who works with Market Match — a nonprofit that helps SNAP and CalFresh recipients stretch their food dollars — said the impact has been immediate.
“People’s benefits have gone down, they’ve reached near zero now. And this is a lifeline,” Brumer said. “Without SNAP, without CalFresh, and without our booth — it hurts. It hurts the customers who rely on it, and it hurts the farmers who sell their produce here.”
Market Match provides vouchers for fresh fruits and vegetables, offering up to $15 in matching funds. Customers can withdraw money from their EBT cards and receive an additional $15 to spend on produce. Recipients can visit market information booths for tokens or paper vouchers redeemable for CalFresh-eligible food items.
“At some of our busiest markets, it could even reach 600 people,” Brumer added.
One CalFresh recipient said the extra support made a real difference.
“Always good to have some extra when you don’t have anything,” they said, adding that the holidays will be especially tough. “It’s going to be a hard time for the holidays. A lot of families and kids will be out of school.”
Market Match has an interactive map where individuals can find a nearest booth near them to use for EBT purchases
