EL CAJON, Calif. (KGTV) -- As millions of Americans brace for the disruption to SNAP benefits, local food pantries are on high alert.
Some have been stockpiling extra food to prepare for an influx of clients, and in Cuyamaca College’s case, it was necessary.
The college’s food pantry has been open since 2018, and they have eight satellite pantries on campus, so there are plenty of locations that students rely on.
Kaylin Rosal, the Cuyamaca Cares Manager, said the uncertainty about benefits in October didn’t change their numbers too much.
However, the reduction in SNAP funding for November doubled the number of students trying to get a meal.
“Yesterday was the first day that our pantry was open in the month of November after the benefits didn't come, and so we actually saw a spike. Our numbers doubled yesterday,” said Rosal. “In addition to doubling, we also received 11 new students who had never been to our pantry before, and it's because, you know, their CalFresh didn't come.”
The pantry partners with the San Diego Food Bank and Feeding San Diego, and they also get donations from local grocery stores every Monday.
According to Rosal, they try to involve students in food assistance programs to help them beyond their two years at Cuyamaca, and according to the state chancellor’s office, the college ranks second in California for CalFresh enrollment.
“We have nine total pantries on campus. It's a lot of food that we need to get, and so we brought everybody's SUV up to up to the food bank and we piled it up with about 1,000 pounds of food extra, to prepare for this week,” said Rosal. “We ran through what we got pretty quickly yesterday, so, yeah, we're, we're trying to keep up.”
The Trump administration has partially funded SNAP benefits, but those emergency funds could take longer to be distributed.
If you are having trouble putting food on the table, you can call 211 or visit https://211sandiego.org/government-shutdown-food-resources#food.
