November CalFresh Benefits Will Be Delayed Due to the Government Shutdown: What to Expect

As the federal government shutdown enters its third week, a silent crisis is brewing in California’s most vulnerable households. Uncertainty, a privilege that CalFresh recipients cannot afford, has become the living room table for low-income families who rely on these payments to make ends meet.

Although October benefits are secure, a deadline looms over the state: If Congress doesn’t release federal funds by October 24, November food stamps payments for 5.5 million Californians, two-thirds of them children or seniors, will be indefinitely delayed.

CalFresh delays: Government shutdown affects millions in California

Governor Gavin Newsom has not hesitated to point the finger at those responsible, calling the situation a “life-threatening failure” that literally “takes food out of people’s mouths.” With growing frustration, Newsom attributes the shutdown directly to President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress.

The shutdown has frozen the allocation of funds that cover 100% of the CalFresh program, the state equivalent of the federal SNAP benefits, leaving local governments facing a budget precipice.

Recall that President Donald Trump’s federal government sent Congress a federal budget with deep cuts, but Democrats are unwilling to let funding cuts for social programs, including SNAP and CalFresh, slide.

Without a resolution by the end of October, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) lacks the legal authority to fund November benefits for more than 41 million Americans. It’s crucial to understand that this isn’t a cancellation of eligibility; it’s a mechanical failure in the food aid supply chain. Recipients remain eligible, but the federal money to honor that commitment has disappeared.

What California is doing to offset the CalFresh backlog

Faced with Washington’s inaction, Sacramento has been forced to act. The Newsom administration has implemented a multipronged contingency plan. The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) launched a massive notification campaign to all counties on October 20, instructing them to alert residents. In counties like San Diego, Alameda, and Nevada, tens of thousands of families are receiving the disturbing news.

The most tangible response has been the mobilization of state resources. $80 million in aid has been accelerated for food banks in nearly every county, an attempt to fill the gap left by CalFresh in November. In a move that underscores the severity of the situation, Governor Newsom announced yesterday the deployment of the California National Guard to assist with food bank logistics and grocery distribution.

“Trump’s failure to open the federal government is now endangering lives and making basic needs like food more expensive, just as the holidays arrive,” Newsom said. His wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, added a more personal dimension to the drama: “Parents shouldn’t have to choose between groceries or paying bills. That is unacceptable.”

CalWorks and other initiatives that have their funding secured

As California prepares for an avoidable hunger crisis, other assistance programs are faltering. CalWORKs, the cash assistance program, is funded through November thanks to state funds, but its future in December is uncertain if the shutdown continues. Programs like WIC (for Women, Infants, and Children) continue to operate for now, but their long-term resilience is in doubt.

There are other resources you can turn to if you run out of money or food at home, such as food banks. Here’s a short list of some of the most popular, but there are dozens all over the state.

These resources distribute emergency food and can help during the transition. It’s a good idea to stay in touch with your local CalFresh office or organization for guidance on how to proceed and what resources are available in your city during the government shutdown.