Angelenos Seek Food Aid Amid SNAP Funding Crisis

INGLEWOOD, California — On Saturday morning, Genaro Alfonzo arrived at the Kia Forum, proudly wearing his Los Angeles Dodgers hat and jersey. He waved a Dodgers flag from his Toyota pickup truck, but his spirit was dampened. It was nearly 11 a.m., and the 70-year-old had not yet eaten. “Just this,” he said, tearing up as he held a half-empty blue plastic coffee cup. “I’m not working. My wife’s not working — there’s no work. The market is expensive.”

Alfonzo was one of thousands attending a drive-through food distribution event at the Kia Forum, organized by the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. This event coincided with the first day of a lapse in funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), affecting millions of low-income Americans, including approximately 5.5 million Californians.

The lapse in federal assistance followed a government shutdown that began on October 1. Although a recent order from President Trump allowed the U.S. Department of Agriculture to utilize over $5 billion in contingency funds for SNAP, the agency was not expected to implement immediate relief.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta mentioned that, despite the favorable ruling for states in a lawsuit dealing with food aid cutoffs, SNAP benefits wouldn’t return to regular levels for at least a week. “There could be about a week where people are hungry and need food,” he warned.

At the forum, the food bank prepared to distribute items to around 5,000 vehicles, each containing enough food for about 40 meals, which included staples like whole grains, fresh produce, and canned goods. Michael Flood, the food bank’s CEO, stated, “This is what large-scale disaster relief looks like. It’s about getting as much as possible out to as many people as safely and quickly as we can.”

Volunteers like Jordan Diaz, 35, and Ron Del Rio, 54, expressed mixed feelings about the event. Diaz noted, “I’m just happy to be here — it’s a great opportunity to help people,” while Del Rio expressed frustration, saying, “It’s heartbreaking to see people who are hungry. Why are there 5,000 cars coming through here in a country that is so rich?”

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass reported that around 600,000 SNAP recipients live in the city, asserting that “no one in Los Angeles should have to worry about putting food on the table because of circumstances beyond their control.”

Maxx Bush, 79, who waited in line for food, criticized elected officials: “Our incomes are not increasing, but groceries and housing are becoming more expensive. Our elected officials are letting us down.”

Concerns about food insecurity prompted Governor Gavin Newsom to activate the National Guard to assist in packaging food. More than half of SNAP recipients in California are children or elderly, a statistic underscoring the urgency of the situation.

As the parking lot buzzed with activity, Rayvone Douthard, 51, expressed his worries about the funding delay while also finding positivity in the community’s efforts to support one another. “Everybody working together. Like the song says!” he said, turning up his stereo.