Thousands of San Diegans face food aid cuts
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Nearly 370,000 Californians could lose at least some food assistance under President Trump's megabill signed last week, per estimates from the left-leaning Center on Policy and Budget Priorities.
Why it matters: More people will struggle to buy groceries and feed their families in San Diego County, where many already face food insecurity.
The big picture: The law makes historic cuts to the social safety net, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which Republicans claim will weed out waste, fraud and abuse.
- But experts warn restructuring these programs could leave more people hungry.
How it works: The new law changes the rules for SNAP, or CalFresh in California, which helps low-income families, seniors and people with disabilities buy groceries.
- Parents of children 14 or older must now work at least 20 hours a week to keep benefits.
- It also raises the work requirement age from 54 to 64.
By the numbers: About 5.5 million Californians, about 14% of the state, were enrolled in SNAP as of March 2025, per federal data.
- In San Diego County, more than 400,000 people receive CalFresh benefits, including children and seniors.
- With these changes, over 67,000 San Diegans, or 17% of current SNAP recipients, are at risk of losing benefits, according to the San Diego Hunger Coalition.
Between the lines: SNAP cuts will likely push more people to local food banks already facing heightened demand, funding cuts and dwindling supplies due to canceled federal deliveries, according to San Diego Food Bank spokesperson Karissa Wilburn.
Follow the money: The law could also force some states and counties to shoulder more benefit costs, based on each state's percentage of erroneous payments.
- Benefits have been 100% federally funded, though states share administrative costs.
- In California, that new financial burden ranges from $1.35 billion to $4 billion annually for the state and counties, which administer CalFresh benefits locally, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom's office.
What we're watching: Last month, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors directed staff to prepare a detailed analysis and funding strategy to address these federal cuts, KPBS reported.
- The changes "could shift hundreds of millions of dollars in cost to the county," supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe said during the board's June 24 meeting.