California Ramps Up Food Access Efforts — Especially for Older Adults and Those With Disabilities

This article first appeared in the California Health Report.

After a series of strokes left 57-year-old Cuc “Patty” Dao disabled, she discovered she was eligible for medically tailored groceries through her managed care plan. In addition to the strokes, Dao was diagnosed as prediabetic. She and her 80-year-old mother live together in Bakersfield. Neither can drive. 

Through the program, bags of fresh healthy food appeared on their doorstep weekly and Dao had access to easy low-sodium, nutritious recipes. Previously, because of Dao’s health situation and limited budget, she’d opted for inexpensive and accessible fast food. But the medically tailored groceries shifted her habits. “They sent me all this healthy food, some things I’d never used before,” Dao said. “I started cooking again for myself and my mother, and it was really life changing.” 

Medically tailored groceries (also called “Food as Medicine” programs) are just one of the more creative and alternative methods advocates are using to get food to the most vulnerable Californians, including those who are disabled or elderly. 

With the recent U.S. government shut down, federal delays in dispersing SNAP benefits (called CalFresh in California) in November and other looming changes, people who work on the front lines of food access say this creativity is essential; it’s an all-hands-on-deck situation. 

At food banks and meal programs across the state, November’s SNAP debacle brought unprecedent traffic. At Alameda County Community Food Bank, for example, clicks on the “get food” portion of their website went from around 5,000 per week to a high of almost 37,000, said Michael Altfest, director of community engagement.  “You have approximately 180,000 people in Alameda County alone who depend on SNAP,” Altfest said.  “A lot of them have never reached out to food banks before because they had SNAP and that was gone.” 

November may have represented a spike, but advocates warn demand overall continues to be alarmingly high. Statewide, the California Association of Food Banks said it’s 42 member regional food banks — which serve as distribution hubs for nearly 6,000 local food pantries and meal programs — report anywhere from a 15 to 40 percent increase in demand for food compared to last year at this time, said Jared Call, director of policy for the California Association of Food Banks. 

Researchers and advocates say food insecurity has become increasingly complex, making it difficult to get a snapshot of the issue statewide. In some areas food insecurity in low-income households has improved, but new groups of people seem to be struggling.

Arnali Ray, executive director at The Hollywood Food Coalition, says her organization’s trend line is decidedly vertical. Over the past few years, the organization has gone from serving 100 meals a night to now routinely serving 350 to 400 meals. 

“What’s heartbreaking is that we are seeing a much older demographic, as well as (more) women and families,” Ray said. 

What’s Really Happening with Food Access — and Why?

Economic pressure due to inflation, tariffs and other factors has caused the cost of living to increase across the state. But advocates say federal policy changes — and the fear surrounding them — have also created chaos and anxiety around CalFresh, the state’s largest provider of food assistance. That pressure has spilled over to all other food resources.

“CalFresh is really the key to this state’s nutrition safety net, and food banks or meal programs are sort of the hands beneath that safety net,” explained Call. “When the safety net gets strained, or has holes put in it by harmful policies, [food banks] are there to catch people that fall through the net.”

New federal rules under the Big Beautiful Bill (H.R. 1) could mean a lot more people losing access. H.R. 1 calls for increasing the age for SNAP/CalFresh work requirements, meaning most adults up to age 64 may have to prove that they’ve worked or volunteered for at least 80 hours per month to maintain their CalFresh benefits. California and other states have sued the federal government, arguing these changes are unlawful and will cut off food aid for millions.

“Around 800,000 [Californians] are going to be subject to new rules very soon. We don’t know exactly when so there’s this confusion and uncertainty, which is harmful in itself,” Call said.   

Furthermore, Call says recent immigration enforcement action and hateful rhetoric have caused fear among some people who are eligible for CalFresh benefits but are now too afraid to access benefits. “People are withdrawing from public benefits over those fears, whether founded or not,” he said. 

At the same time, food banks have reported delayed or missing shipments from The Emergency Food Assistance Program, known as TEFAP, a major source of USDA-purchased food. Call said the federal government shipped about 72 million pounds less food to California food banks in 2025 — a 36 percent reduction compared with 2024.

Amid all of this, however, advocates say California and Californians are determined to get vulnerable people fed. 

Food Advocates Rise to the Challenge

Several counties — including Santa Cruz, Sonoma, Lake, San Benito and Contra Costa — have declared or are preparing to declare local emergencies for food access, meaning more funds for their local food banks and meal programs. Alameda County made an $8.3 million allocation to its food bank and agency partners. Santa Cruz County and local partners provided more than $1 million in emergency funding to its Second Harvest Food Bank. 

Many communities are also increasing fundraising efforts for food sources and creating partnerships to get more food to their community. In Yolo County, for example, the Yolo Food Bank launched its Food First fundraising campaign, which recently raised more than $750,000 for food in that community.

The state of California has also stepped up measures to get food to people in need — particularly by increasing funding to CalFood, a program that helps food banks and programs purchase fresh California-grown produce usually for pennies on the pound.

“The governor and the legislature this past session approved an additional $20 million — on top of the $60 million already provided — when we all saw that these federal changes were coming to CalFresh,” Call said. State food advocates are now asking that CalFood funding increase to $110 million in response to the increased demand food banks and meal programs predict. 

“We’re lucky to be working in California, where our legislators at the state and the county and the city level actually care about this,” Altfest said.

Even the state’s Medicaid program — called Medi-Cal — is focusing some resources on getting food to the most vulnerable people, including seniors. 

Dao’s household received groceries through Medi-Cal’s Enhanced Care Management program, a part of CalAIM (California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal). People with chronic conditions such as diabetes, kidney disease and heart conditions may be eligible through their managed care plans. The approach aims to improve health outcomes while reducing long-term costs. For Dao, it’s worked. Once considered high risk for hospital readmission, she has not been readmitted. Her doctor recently told her that her A1C levels and other biomarkers have improved.

Rebecca Murillo, Food as Medicine program director at Alameda County Community Food Bank, said access to medically tailored groceries is expected to expand statewide. “There’s definitely a growing interest in this here in California and also across the nation.”

How Can People Help the Food Access Effort?

With cuts coming to CalFresh, there are a few ways to help. One is to directly help your local food bank by donating money or volunteering time. In some communities, local pantries might also accept direct donations of food. 

In addition, Call recommends contacting members of Congress or the state legislature to let them know that you’re concerned. “Let lawmakers know that you want them to put food first,” Call said. “No one should go hungry in California, the richest state in the country and where so much of the food in the U.S. is grown.”

Where to Go for Food – Especially for Seniors and Those With Disabilities

According to Nourish California, roughly 8.8 percent. of adults aged 60 and older are food insecure or lack enough food for an active, healthy life, due to limited financial resources. This is an increase of about 1 percent over last year. Despite frightening news of benefits being nixed, advocates say people in need of food — especially seniors and those who have a disability — should not be discouraged. Municipalities, nonprofits, managed care plans and grass roots efforts are ramping up to ensure food is available. In addition, there are many food resources that you may not even realize you’re eligible for. Here are places to start:

2-1-1

Call 2-1-1 and ask for food sources in your area. This is worth a try, but also be forewarned that call center operators may be operating from outdated lists. If the referral isn’t valid, move on to the next resource. 

GetCalFresh.org

CalFresh is the state’s SNAP (formerly food stamp) program. You can get guidance about CalFresh and even apply online at getcalfresh.org.  

National Council on Aging (NCOA) benefitscheckup.org

National Council on Aging offers benefitscheckup.org, an online service that connects older adults and people with disabilities with benefit programs that help with food, health care and more. Enter your zip code for where to go in your area. 

Managed Care Plans

If you are eligible for Medi-Cal, Medicare or both and have a heart condition, kidney disorder, diabetes/prediabetes, and many other mental and physical chronic conditions you may be eligible for Enhanced Care Management, which might include access to medically tailored meals or groceries.  An increasing number of managed care plans across the state are working with food banks, grocery stores and other sources to deliver healthy meals or groceries to eligible plan members’ doors. Ask your doctor or contact your managed care plan’s patient service. 

Senior Centers and Area Agencies on Aging

Either call city hall or visit your community’s website and look for senior programs.  Here you may find your local Area Agency on Aging or senior center. Both are rich resources offering information about grocery and farmer’s market giveaways, congregate hot meals and help applying for benefits. 

Local Food Banks, Food Pantries and Meal Programs

Search “food bank near me” for the closest food bank, pantry or meal program, hours of operation and requirements, which are usually minimal — i.e., you may have to show an ID and fill out a brief registration especially the first time you visit. Some also request that you bring your own grocery bag or box. 

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