Latest news with #EFSP
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘A measurable reduction': CAPK, Kern County partners brace for inevitable cuts in food distribution
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — 17 News continues our coverage of how various cuts to government food programs will soon affect thousands of Kern County families. As governments at both the state and federal levels work to cut back on spending, advocates are saying it's the most vulnerable — those relying on various social services and programs — that are paying the price. Kern County organizations are gearing up for what's to come — more people to serve, with less resources. That was the focus of the Community Action Partnership of Kern — or CAPK's — Annual Partner Conference Friday morning. That's what CAPK said we can be seeing much more of in the coming months, a stark contrast to their typically very well-stocked food warehouse in east Bakersfield. Court Watch with Jason Kotowski: April 11, 2025 'There will be a measurable reduction in the amount of resources that come into the warehouse that we are able to redistribute to the county,' said food bank administrator Kelly Lowery. CAPK acts as the middleman in food distribution — both receiving food, as well as grants to purchase more food from federal and state resources. Then, CAPK distributes the goods to its 150 local partners. Right now for CAPK, the shelves are full enough to distribute $2 million pounds of food monthly. No one knows for how long though. 'There's going to be maybe a reduction in the amount of resources that we are able to provide each family,' said Lowery. This is a result of federal and state funding cuts to various food assistance programs — like The Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP funds) and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, known as CalFresh in California. Also, the U.S. Department of Agriculture offers an Emergency Food Assistance Program. Lowery says already, 13 loads from the USDA — so, 3.5 million pounds of food — were cancelled. '[With all the cuts so far], we're looking at probably a reduction of the equivalent amount of about $6 million worth of food on an annual basis in reduction,' Lowery noted. Lowery said the need is growing, while the supply is diminishing. He explained that lines outside food banks are twice as long as they were two years ago. In January 2023, CAPK partners — so local food pantries and nonprofits — distributed food about 92,000 times. That number surged to 220,000 now. 'It's against that backdrop that now we're also facing a reduction of resources to be able provide those families,' Lowery said. 'It's a fearful thing for a family, for a mom and dad not to be able to feed their kids,' said Pastor Connie Totten with New Life Church, which has been partnering with CAPK for three decades. Totten — the leader of one of CAPK's biggest partners — said the church serves up to 5,000 people monthly. The church offers both a drive thru food distribution program, as well as a pantry, from which families can choose what to take. 'How can we stretch this a little more so that no one walks away with nothing?' added Gilbert LaRoque, director of Bakersfield Recovery Services, which has partnered with CAPK since the pandemic. 'The 93305 areas is one of the most food insecure areas that we have,' LaRoque added, noting that he serves up to 500 families monthly. These organizations added that not knowing how long all of this will last only adds to their concerns. Lowery detailed that while CAPK won't be cutting any distribution sites, the organization and its partners would feel the reduction in funding firsthand. 'It produces downward pressure on what is the safety net of all social programs, and that's the food banks,' Lowery stated during his presentation the conference. 'When SNAP benefits are cut, it means our lines are going to get even longer,' Lowery said. Despite greater responsibility falling on the shoulders of providers, these organizations also don't have what it takes to give more. CAPK — already understaffed, according to Lowery — is now set to be underfunded. As many echoed during the conference, this is already a tough field to be in. 'In order to serve the people that I serve, I rely on the food bank and CalFresh,' said Pastor Connie Totten. Lowery put pressure on state legislators especially for the Cal Foods program, which served as a crucial provider for food banks in recent years. About $60 million in funding was allocated among California's 41 food banks. Amid the state's budget deficit, funding is set to drop to $8 million. Lowery emphasized that either sustaining or increasing Cal Food would be the bare minimum — current funding is already not enough. Different groups will take different avenues, as they navigate new terrain. 'Instead of all of the people getting some of the food, some of the people getting all of the food,' is what Captain Gina Noble of the Ridgecrest Salvation Army proposed. Noble noted that the organization, which serves a food desert area, values fostering deep relationships with the families they assist. 'It's not a time to have fear. It's a time to be fierce,' Noble said with determination. 'If you don't have as much to give, make sure it's nutrient rich.' Meantime, CAPK shared that it's received a $1 million grant from the county, dedicated to purchasing food for the unincorporated areas of Kern County. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
‘The issue is we're now in limbo': DOGE cuts impact Kern County food and housing assistance programs
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Amid continued federal funding cuts from the Trump administration, the future of various federal programs remains unclear. In Bakersfield, families seeking food and housing assistance are already being turned away. Food pantries and organizations in town predict the impact will only grow — perhaps within the next month. For families struggling to make ends meet, the Salvation Army in Bakersfield is often the last glimpse of hope. 'We are the last resort,' said Capt. Clinton Trimmer, a corps officer with the Bakersfield Salvation Army. 'What we are talking about is people who have received either an eviction notice or people who have received a pay or quit notice. So, these are people who are in an emergency situation. It's not just they have fallen behind. They are in danger of homelessness,' said Trimmer. What allows Captain Clinton Trimmer and his team to help are federal funds from The Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) of FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency. BFD seeks man in connection with fire that damaged Kern County Veterans Memorial To help prevent homelessness, this program — started in 1983 — funds housing, food and supportive services. 'It's been a stable program, and it may still be a stable program. We don't know. The issue is we're now in limbo,' Trimmer noted. With that yearly funding, The Salvation Army helps dozens of families. Last year, 35 households got rent or mortgage assistance and 54 households got utilities assistance. In 2023, 58 households got rent or mortgage assistance. 155 got utilies assistance. Since 1984, when the Salvation Army began utilizing EFSP funds, Trimmer said more than 1,200 households got rent and mortgage assistance; more than 2,200 got utilities assistance. Additionally, Trimmer mentioned, his call logs show he typically gets around 150 calls monthly asking for either rent or utility assistance. Approximately 60 of the calls will be for rent or mortgage assistance, while approximately 110 of the calls will be for utility assistance. Trimmer also said this funding specifically is used for the Salvation Army's Homeless Prevention Program — rent, mortgage and utility assistance. In recent weeks and days, he's had to turn families away. 'We just aren't able to provide that assistance,' he stated. Trimmer detailed that even with guaranteed EFSP funding, there's more demand that supply. 'It's a constant struggle between trying to find funds and the growing need,' he said. Here in Kern County, 10 organizations applied and received funding last year (called Phase 41 funding) — including The Open Door Network, The Mission At Kern County and the Community Action Partnership of Kern — known as CAPK. 'There's a total pause on all Emergency Food and Shelter Program funding,' said Eric Arias, CEO of United Way of Central Eastern California. 'So, that means Phase 42, which would be that new phase of funding, which has been in existence for decades and has been a reliable source of funding for a lot of our nonprofits, but also, for those who are owed funding for awards that have been previously done in previous phases, they're also not able to pull down that funding at the moment.' Arias explained he and United Way serve as the middleman in EFSP fund allocations — the funds are given to them, and the group distributes the funds to select Kern County organizations. CAPK's food bank administrator told 17 News it uses EFSP funds to supplement community food donations. Consequently, it's already buying less food, and there will likely be a trickle-down effect to the 150 agency partners they distribute food to. It warned families may be impacted within the next month. Lauren Skidmore of The Open Door Network told 17 News due to the uncertainty in EFSP funds, the organization has seen an impact in food purchases for its domestic violence and homeless shelters. Another specific example — for food pantries like Catholic Charities, CAPK is the only supplier. Most of their food comes from CAPK for free. So, if there are cuts to CAPK because of the limbo situation with EFSP funds, that means CAPK can't purchase as much food. That reduces how much food these food pantries get, and thus Kern County families get. 'We're able to bring them food. It's a culturally appropriate menu, so we bring things like rice, beans, chicken,' said Beatriz Trevino, site director of Catholic Charities. Trevino stated EFSP funds allow them to serve rural communities and provide rent and utility assistance. With the freeze, the organization hasn't been able to offer the latter. 'We're just having them check back in with us because when funds are available, we'll still of course be able to provide that service to anyone that needs it,' said Trevino. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Federal cuts freeze United Way food, housing funding for Tri-Cities families
Cuts to the Federal Emergency Management Agency have frozen funds used to keep Tri-Cities families from losing their place to live. The United Way of Benton and Franklin Counties said Thursday that their access to funding for the federal Emergency Food and Shelter Program has been shut off. Since 2020 FEMA has allocated more than $1.4 million through the United Way to help Tri-Cities families with food and to stay in their homes or find a new place to live, according to a news release. The nonprofit currently has $143,706 in funding for 28 grant requests frozen, leading to an immediate impact for these organizations. Without access to this money, the loss of funding will affect food banks, after-school meal programs, housing assistance efforts and programs to help Tri-Citians meet other basic needs. In the past year the program has provided $5.4 million dollars in funding across Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Community Impact Director Asta Bonheyo told the Tri-City Herald that the program helped more than 44,000 families during the COVID-19 pandemic. United Way takes applications for grant funding from local nonprofits and then makes funding requests from FEMA. Their last request, made in January, still has not been disbursed. Bonheyo said the loss of that funding means smaller food banks that meet people where they are won't be able to help as many families, local agencies that provide rental assistance won't be able to do so and eviction prevention programs might not have the money to help keep families from losing their housing. 'It's a really important program for our community, it helps a lot of people,' she said. United Way is asking community members to urge members of Congress to restore EFSP funding and protect critical services for community members in need. They've created a Call to Action form to contact Washington lawmakers. Donations to the organization can also be made on their website. The EFSP funding is just part of United Way's grant programs helping Tri-Cities families. Some of the other community organizations that the United Way of Benton and Franklin Counties provided grants to recently, include: Benton Franklin Head Start 2nd Harvest SARC Tri-Cities Diaper Bank B5 Learning Center Heartlinks Hospice and Palliative Care The Children's Reading Foundation of the Mid-Columbia
CBS News
12-03-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Miami-Dade nonprofit faces financial crisis in wake of federal funding pause for food, shelter programs
The Advocacy Network on Disabilities, which has been instrumental in supporting families in Miami-Dade County, has run out of money after vital federal funding from FEMA's Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) was suspended. This delay in funding raises critical concerns about the future of families already on the brink of homelessness. Families in peril At just two years old, Adrian Echazu's life took a dramatic turn when he was diagnosed with a rare condition. His mother, Adriana Lewis, recalls how her son was diagnosed with Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome after a trip to the emergency room revealed Adrian had cancer. "After many tests and evaluations, they did an ultrasound and found the tumor," Lewis said. "Stage 4." Echazu's medical journey has been grueling, involving multiple surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation. Despite the ongoing challenges, Lewis' determination to care for her son led her to financial ruin as she struggled to keep up with mounting medical bills. "How can you, as a mom, embrace all this if you have to work almost 10 to 8 hours a day?" Lewis said. A lifeline for South Florida The Advocacy Network on Disabilities has been a lifeline for families like Lewis'. The organization helped her find affordable housing, allowing her to stop working long hours to care for her son. This support gave her the freedom to focus on Adrian's health and well-being. "We really transitioned from surviving to thriving," said Monique Dorman, a mother of two. Monique escaped an abusive relationship with her children and faced similar struggles. Her eldest son, Aaron, was diagnosed with ADHD and autism. "I spent the whole first day crying because I felt so bad. You know, why me, why my son, how could I have missed the signs?" Monique recalled. The Advocacy Network helped Monique navigate the complexities of her children's needs, offering much-needed mental health support and resources. With their help, she was able to learn how to support her son. "Now that we know what's going on with him, we're going to teach him how to live his life with his special brain," Monique shared. What's next for families? However, the situation has taken a turn. The Advocacy Network on Disabilities, which typically receives around $30,000 annually from a larger $1 million pool of federal funds allocated to several Miami-Dade County agencies, was expecting to receive nearly half a million dollars in February. But those funds have now been placed on hold. The hold on funding comes as FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) conduct additional reviews of grant allocations. According to a letter sent to affected agencies, the funding has been delayed to ensure that it aligns with the Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem's directives. "The next person that calls us next week will get nothing," said Ire Diaz, President and CEO of the Advocacy Network on Disabilities. Diaz is concerned that without the federal funds, families in need will be left without the support they depend on. "Families will be homeless, and there will be people who will not be in shelters, they will be under I-95," Diaz warned. There is currently no clear timeline on when or if the federal funds will be released. Ire Diaz is urging concerned citizens to take action by contacting their legislators and urging them to support the release of federal funding.
