SNAP benefits restored, but only partially. Here’s how Fresno council wants to help
The City of Fresno could contribute $250,000 to Central California’s largest food bank in response to food benefits delays while the government shutdown continues.
The Trump administration announced Monday it would provide partial funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, after two judges issued rulings requiring it to keep the nation’s largest food aid program running.
The administration says it will use money from a $5 billion Agriculture Department contingency fund, falling short of the $8 billion needed to fund SNAP monthly. Once the partial funds start flowing again, it could take several days or more for families who depend on SNAP to put food on the table to receive their benefits.
In Fresno, the city council will vote Nov. 6 on the allocation of $250,000 to the Central California Food Bank.
The food bank serves individuals in Fresno, Madera, Tulare, Kings and Kern counties. About 720,000 people in the five-county area rely on SNAP, including 248,000 in Fresno County.
Fresno Councilmember Nelson Esparza said the conditions are “truly heartbreaking.”
“The horrifying reality is there are still families ... who will go to the grocery store and find out the hard way that those benefits were not renewed for this month,” Esparza said Friday.
Natalie Caples, co-CEO of the Central California Food Bank, told The Bee that length of time of the shutdown is crucial.
“We’re prepared to be able to respond to emergency needs like this for the short term,” Caples said. “We’re resilient and we’ve done this before, but this is not a situation long-term that the food bank can sustain.”
On Monday morning, the food bank reported on the organization’s Instagram high call volumes due to the increased need.
They advised those looking for food assistance to visit ccfoodbank.org/find-food to view all upcoming food distributions.
Esparza said $50,00 of the $250,000 he hopes the city will donate would come from his district’s office, District 7. These funds would help deliver one million meals to Central Valley residents in need, he said.
Although this would not be considered a usual function for the city, Esparaza said, this is a case where the city needs to “step up.”
About one in eight U.S. residents get an average of $187 each month from SNAP to pay for food. Nearly 39% of recipients are children, according to the USDA.
“Politicians in D.C. continue to hold food hostage and continue to hold healthcare hostage from some of our most vulnerable communities,” Esparza said. “We here in the Valley are coming together with our congressman in partnership and collaboration to mitigate that impact and ensure that folks have something to eat.”
This story was originally published November 3, 2025 at 1:21 PM with the headline "SNAP benefits restored, but only partially. Here’s how Fresno council wants to help."