‘Sacramento shows up’: Food businesses in region helping out amid SNAP freeze
As millions of Californians are on the verge of potentially losing access to benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program on Nov. 1, small businesses and community groups across Sacramento are stepping in to offer support to capital region residents facing food insecurity.
Hidden Coffee Bar, a coffee cart stationed at the Village General Store & Refillery, 500 Vernon St. in Roseville, is offering pastries and coffee beverages at no cost to SNAP recipients while the benefits are not being distributed.
“Food scarcity is just such a scary, stressful thing,” said Juliette Fruci, co-owner of the coffee cart. “Coffee and pastries are not like substance meals, but they can offer a little bit of joy, maybe a little bit of rest in a stressful time.”
Fruci’s husband and Hidden Coffee co-owner, Austin Fruci, said the decision to provide free food and drinks partly came from a personal place, as he grew up in a household that relied on the SNAP program and received free lunches at school.
“We were like, ‘How can we support those in need?’ Especially since we know so, so intimately how stressful that can be,” Austin Fruci said.
According to an Instagram post by the Frucis announcing the offer, affected customers simply need to show their EBT card to receive their coffee and pastry. The Hidden Coffee Bar team is also working with Feeding the Foothills — a nonprofit food bank providing meals to residents of El Dorado, Nevada and Placer counties — to set up a nonperishables donation bin for customers who want to give back, but the details are still in the works, Juliette Fruci said.
“Obviously, it’s not enough — coffee and pastries is not putting food on table, it’s not feeding families,” Austin Fruci said. “We would love to see other businesses who have the capabilities to provide a hot meal here and there to do that.”
Friday morning, Roseville bakery Just Gluten Free Kitchens said on social media that it was inspired by the Frucis’ efforts and announced its own no-cost food service. The bakery, at 605 Douglas Blvd., will offer a free gluten-free sourdough loaf or $10 off an entire order to anyone who shows their EBT card.
While some food businesses may not have the means to provide free meals to capital region residents facing food insecurity, they’re helping out in other ways. Superette Market, at 3216 Riverside Blvd. in Upper Land Park, is accepting donations of non-perishable foods, hygiene items and children’s needs to support Wellspring Women’s Center in North Oak Park.
Owner Sophie Mosgrove said getting involved in charity work was always a priority when she launched her specialty food market in June. She originally planned to do a food drive starting later in November, but moved up her plans in response to the shutdown’s impact on SNAP.
Mosgrove posted a call for donations on Superette’s Instagram Wednesday, and by Friday she already had multiple boxes of diapers, baby bottles and formula, personal hygiene essentials and foodstuffs filling her store’s back storage area.
“I love to see how immediate the response was from the community,” Mosgrove said. “It’s really indicative of how Sacramento shows up for each other.”
The boutique market is also participating in a leftover Halloween candy collection program put on by mutual aid group the Awkward Gardener’s Community Table, a Sacramento-based grassroots group that works to distribute surplus food to pantries and encampments. Most recently, the group has gained visibility compiling and sharing a list of free food pantries in the Sacramento area.
Through the first half of November, a number of participating businesses in the area will accept candy and other snacks left over from the holiday, which will be distributed to food pantries and homeless encampments. Participants include Moonbelly Bakery in East Sacramento, Lost Clture Tattoo in midtown, Strapping in Oak Park and Daack Pack Dog Training in Arden Arcade.
Organizers with the mutual aid group say candy has been a helpful addition to survival kits in encampments as a harm reduction tool for substance use and hunger, while also bringing some joy to people in food-scarce or housing-insecure situations. In previous years, the organization has received up to 250 pounds of leftover treats.
“People want to show up (for their community), and they immediately know how to,” Mosgrove said. “The immediacy of it is really inspiring.”
Superette Market will continue accepting donations for the Wellspring Women’s Center on a rolling basis, while the leftover candy collection runs from Saturday to Nov. 15.
“I know the need doesn’t stop in the event that SNAP all of a sudden is funded, but obviously we’re hoping that a resolution comes to a close sooner rather than later, especially as we head into the holidays,” Mosgrove said.
This story was originally published November 1, 2025 at 12:29 PM.
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