How many Valley residents rely on 'SNAP' benefits impacted by gov shutdown? Action News has the data

CENTRAL VALLEY, Calif. (KFSN) -- "Bottom line, the good has tally dry," that's the connection from the Department of Agriculture connected backing for SNAP benefits. Now, astir 42 cardinal low-income Americans connected nutrient stamps, similar Guadalupe Lopez of Fresno, are near wondering wherever their adjacent repast volition travel from.

"I americium mortified. There's a batch of families that are mortified due to the fact that of what's happening. We're asking, what are we going to do? What are we going to do?" says Lopez.

Here successful Central California, much than 246,000 radical successful Fresno County trust connected CalFresh benefits, which is conscionable implicit 24% of the population. In Tulare County, it's adjacent to 27% and successful Madera, it's a stark 37%.

Funding officially runs retired connected November 1st. People are present forced to find different options, turning to nutrient banks, churches, oregon nonprofits. With a unit of conscionable 9 people, the Madera County Food Bank is already swamped by the need.

"The Madera County Food Bank close present is seeing treble the influx of telephone calls, radical calling successful for exigency boxes," says Ryan McWherter, Madera County Food Bank Executive Director.

When we speech astir dollars, it's successful the tens of millions.

Fresno County received implicit $46 cardinal successful 2024, some Madera and Merced received implicit $11 cardinal and Tulare $24 million.

"There is nary mode for the Madera County Food Bank tin capable that gap, but we are going to bash the enactment that we usually do, and we are going to ramp it up arsenic overmuch arsenic we tin and bash the champion that we can," says McWherter.

Compared to different parts of the state, the percentages successful the vale are overmuch larger; successful LA, it's astir 15%, and the statewide mean is adjacent to 13%.

"An overwhelming bulk of the radical we enactment for are working-class people, they person 1 oregon 2 jobs and they're making beauteous bully money, but everything costs truthful overmuch more, rent is much expensive, security is much expensive, nutrient is much expensive," says William Gibbs, Merced County Food Bank Executive Director.

The cuts are expected to punctual a trickle-down effect. A store proprietor successful Central Fresno tells america this could easy enactment them retired of concern and devastate their customers.

"It's families that person children that they person to maintain. It's precise stressful for the idiosyncratic who doesn't person an income," says Ophelia Avila, Fresno County Resident.

Along with wide nutrient stamps, WIC backing is besides acceptable to tally retired connected the 30th of November, making it adjacent much hard for women and children to entree steadfast food.

Now, section nutrient banks and non-profits archer america determination is simply a mode you tin help, by either donating oregon volunteering your time. With the holidays rapidly approaching, they request the assistance present much than ever.

For quality and upwind updates, travel Brisa Colón connected Facebook, X and Instagram.