New Data Reveals Direct Impact of Pending $50+ Million Drop in State Funding on California’s Food Banks

The CalFood Program Funded the Purchase of 80 Million Pounds of Food in 2024; Reduced Funding Would Severely Impact Food-Insecure Communities

OAKLAND, Calif. – May 7, 2025 – In the shadow of recent federal funding cuts for The Emergency Food Assistance Program and Local Food Purchase Assistance, the State’s CalFood Program is also facing a potential $50 million drop in funding, putting millions of food-insecure Californians at further risk.

CalFood is a California State program that provides funds to food banks to purchase California-grown and produced foods — supporting local farms and food businesses. This program is slated to drop by more than $50 million in July.

In a network survey, funds from the CalFood program represented 37% of the network’s food-purchasing budget; among small and midsize food banks, 60% of their combined purchasing budget came from the CalFood program. In 2024, CalFood funded the purchase of 80 million pounds of food or about 67 million meals.

“CalFood has been a lifeline for food banks. The 2022 increase in CalFood funding was critical for  food banks to meet demand during the height of the pandemic, but food insecurity rates today are similar to the early days of the pandemic, with one in five Californians not having access to sufficient food,” said Stacia Levenfeld, CEO of the California Association of Food Banks. “With the cancelation of so much federally funded food moving into California, a $52 million drop in state funding couldn’t come at a worse time.”

A recent survey of CAFB’s food bank network found:

• Over one-third of CalFood Program funding was used to purchase California-grown fruits and vegetables, 28% was used to buy fresh dairy, eggs, meat, and poultry, and 11% was used to purchase shelf-stable proteins such as tuna, peanut butter, and canned and dried beans.
• Two-thirds (67%) of food banks use CalFood Program funding to purchase culturally appropriate or significant foods like tortillas, rice, beans, corn, tomato products, Halal foods, non-dairy items, and specialized produce.
• Seventy percent of food banks use CalFood Program funding to purchase specialized items for key groups including older adults and children, unhoused people, people with chronic health conditions or dietary restrictions, and individuals with disabilities.

With analysts predicting a recession, job loss and heightened food insecurity could follow, which would put increased pressure on food banks that are already stretched thin.

“If funding is dropped to the pre-pandemic level of $8 million annually, our food banks will be forced to reduce the amount of food offered per household, which in turn will decrease the nutritious and culturally relevant foods community members receive,” continued Levenfeld. “We are calling on the support of our governor, elected officials, and community members to take action to ensure that everyone in California has access to healthy, nutritious food.”

Here’s what you can do:

• Contact your legislator and ask them to sustain CalFood at $60 million annually.
• Volunteer at or donate to your local food bank.
• Share credible information with those in your network to help spread awareness.

ABOUT THE CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF FOOD BANKS

Since the California Association of Food Banks (CAFB) formed in 1995, it has grown into a powerful network leading the fight against hunger in California with a shared belief that access to food is a fundamental right. California produces more than enough nutritious food to feed everyone in the state. CAFB partners with more than 40 food banks that support 6,000+ community-based organizations, as well as 200+ agricultural partners with a common mission: to end hunger. Through collaborative partnerships, CAFB is a collective force making equitable access to food the standard, not the exception. For more information about CAFB, please visit cafoodbanks.org.

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