California food banks push for bigger, lasting CalFood funding boost
California food banks say the extra $30 million for CalFood still leaves them far short of what it takes to buy food, keep shelves stocked, and absorb federal cuts.
California food banks say the extra $30 million in Governor Gavin Newsom’s May Revise is not enough to steady a system already carrying more than 6 million monthly visitors. The California Association of Food Banks said the revised proposal would lift CalFood to $38 million for 2026-27, but the network wants $60 million in ongoing funding and another $50 million in one-time support to give food banks the predictable purchasing power they need.
That demand is about more than a single budget line. The association said CalFood helps food banks buy efficiently, keep shelves stocked, and plan deliveries with confidence year after year. Its annual minimum allocation is still $8 million, a floor set in 2017, and the group said that is no longer aligned with the scale of need across its 43 member food banks.
The pressure has grown as federal food aid weakens and food prices stay high. The California Association of Food Banks said its network is serving more than 6 million Californians each month, up from 4.5 million a month at the height of the pandemic in 2021. Earlier budget plans had proposed cutting CalFood from about $60 million to $8 million, a nearly 90% drop, which made the May Revise increase a step back from the brink but still far short of what the network says is necessary.
State analysts have warned that food banks can absorb only part of the blow. The Legislative Analyst’s Office said food banks can offset some losses from federal CalFresh changes, but only to the extent funding and warehouse, refrigeration and distribution capacity allow. In Santa Clara County, officials said those federal cuts could directly affect as many as 55,000 of the county’s 133,000 CalFresh participants. In Sacramento, one food bank expected 11 truckloads, or about 400,000 pounds, of food to be frozen because of federal cuts.
For organizations such as A Simple Gesture, the message is practical. When state dollars rise, pantry partners are better able to handle recovered food, keep routes moving, and absorb donations without wasting product. When state support lags, the burden shifts onto local nonprofits, volunteers, and the food banks that depend on them to keep deliveries reliable.
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