Changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) prompt many to look for alternative food resources
By LAILA AZHAR — features@theaggie.org
This summer, H.R.1 — also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act — implemented several changes into the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides low-income households with funding for food and groceries.
The reform tightens work requirements for “able-bodied adults without dependents.” The upper age for the work requirement increased from 54 to 64, while the caregiver exemption was narrowed to adults caring for a child under age 14 rather than the previous limit of 18. Exemptions that previously applied to veterans, people experiencing homelessness and young adults aging out of foster care were also removed.
These rules were expected to go into place on Nov. 1. Instead, when the government shut down for a record 43 days starting on Oct. 1, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) suspended the issuing of new SNAP benefits.
Concerns over food accessibility were widespread during this time. As third-year political science major Nicole Lee recalled, changes to SNAP drew attention to other avenues for people to receive food.
“Cuts to SNAP sparked concern over many people’s access to food,” Lee said. “I think because of this, we saw a lot of people turn to the many organizations we have that are able to help provide people with that food. I think it’s important that we highlight these groups so people know what options they have to support them in their immediate community, especially during times of financial hardship.”
The ASUCD Pantry is an example of one of these groups. The Pantry offers food and other essentials to UC Davis affiliates. Located on the first floor of the Memorial Union, staff and students can access the variety of food and products provided regardless of their financial status, so long as they provide a Student ID number.
Various programs at the UC Davis student farms contribute produce to UC Davis Fresh Focus, a food distribution program which supplies 13 on-campus and four off-campus sites — including The Pantry, Educational Opportunity Program Center and the Undocumented Student Resource Center — with produce, grains and herbs.
Giselle Sarmiento, a fourth-year sustainable agriculture and food systems major and the social media lead for UC Davis Fresh Focus, joined the program in winter quarter of 2024. She encouraged students to volunteer at the student farm and pick up produce from Fresh Focus’ partner sites.
“Fresh Focus is a community where everyone brings their own experiences, cultures and stories about food, which has created such a thoughtful and welcoming space to be at,” Sarmiento said. “It helped me learn how much food would go to waste without our redistribution work, and being part of a team that actively redirects that food to students has been really meaningful.”
Yolo County residents can also receive food assistance from the Yolo Food Bank. Their public community food distributions can be accessed as either a walk-up or a drive-through, and do not require applications or proof of income, residence or immigration status. Their family food box program serves boxes of food directly to the families of students and agricultural workers in the county. Overall, the food bank recovers, stores and distributes about 9.6 million pounds of food annually.
Mutual aid groups also contribute many opportunities to find food resources in Davis. These groups operate under the philosophy that current systems of power aren’t doing enough to meet people’s basic needs, and that communities should rely on each other, according to an admin of the Instagram account @mutual_aid_in_davis.
“Mutual aid is an exploration, formation and commitment of lateral support from community members to community members,” @mutual_aid_in_davis said in a direct message to The California Aggie. “It does not selectively choose who receives aid, it does not set barriers for community members to surpass to receive aid and it does not require significant external validation in the distribution of that aid.”
This idea is central to Davis Food Not Bombs, a chapter of the national Food Not Bombs group. The chapter has served free, vegan meals on and off since 1996, and can currently be found from 1 to 2 p.m. on second and fourth Sundays in Central Park.
Davis Food Not Bombs has provided food for the “Freedges,” another resource for Davis residents looking for food. These free community fridges are located in various locations around Davis, including on the UC Davis Memorial Union, the Food Co-Op on 620 G St. and on Eureka Avenue at 14th St.
The Davis Night Market, another mutual aid resource, gathers food that would otherwise go to waste from local restaurants, bakeries and grocery stores and distributes it in Central Park from 9 to 11 p.m. Monday to Friday.
The @mutual_aid_in_davis admin pointed out the strengths of encouraging community members to rely on each other, noting the sense of communal responsibility mutual aid fosters.
“One core tenant of mutual aid is community empowerment,” @mutual_aid_in_davis said. “Mutual aid encourages people to give aid in the same community as the people receiving it. Knowing that you’re helping a neighbor leads you to care about that neighbor more. External entities –- like a celebrity, an athlete, or a politician — do not have the same familiarity as a neighbor would, and can lead community members to not partake in lateral support.”
The significance of community mobilization is particularly apparent considering recent concerns over food insecurity this past November.
“As our federal government actively tears apart our society, a commitment to community-oriented solutions can mitigate the forced famine from the recent cuts to SNAP,” @mutual_aid_in_davis said.
Written by: Laila Azhar — features@theaggie.org
