In the past year, FTF has helped local residents navigate the CalFresh application process. Photo courtesy of Feeding the Foothills

ROSEVILLE, CA (MPG) - Feeding the Foothills (FTF), a regional nonprofit food bank serving Placer, El Dorado, and Nevada counties, is sounding the alarm over significant federal cuts to CalFresh, California’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Included in the recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act, these cuts reduce national SNAP funding by 20 percent, affecting an estimated 22.3 million families across the country. Thousands of foothill residents will feel the effects, particularly in rural areas where food access is already limited by geography, transportation, and available services.

“Families in our region are already stretching every dollar just to get by,” said Dave Martinez, Executive Director of Feeding the Foothills. “This legislation threatens to remove a critical lifeline that puts food on the table for our most vulnerable neighbors.”

In the past year, FTF has helped local residents navigate the CalFresh application process. Of the applicants assisted, 42.1 percent were approved, with an average benefit of $338.88 per month. These efforts generated an estimated $51,456 in benefits and a total economic impact of more than $296,000 across the three-county service area. That equates to over 32,000 CalFresh meals delivered to local families.

“These are not just numbers,” Martinez said. “They represent single parents, seniors on fixed incomes, people with disabilities, college students, and working families doing their best to make ends meet. Cuts to CalFresh don’t just increase food insecurity. They raise the risk of chronic illness and force families to choose between food, health, and other basic needs.”

Feeding the Foothills will continue to assist community members through one-on-one support, bilingual online tools, and outreach events. Details about CalFresh application help can be found at feedingthefoothills.org/calfresh.

“Food is a basic human right. These cuts will strain our entire support system. We invite our community to stand with us—through advocacy, donations, or volunteering—to help ensure that no one in the foothills has to choose between staying fed and staying well,” Martinez said.

Feeding the Foothills (formerly Placer Food Bank) is dedicated to providing a lifeline of essential food resources in El Dorado, Placer, and Nevada counties. As part of the Feeding America network, we strive to alleviate hunger and build a stronger, more compassionate community. For more information about Feeding the Foothills and our mission, visit feedingthefoothills.org