Sup. Solis at the drive-through food distribution at the San Gabriel Valley Airport (Photo – Office of Hilda Solis)
Los Angeles County Chair Pro Tem and First District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, in partnership with the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, hosted a large-scale drive-through food distribution at the San Gabriel Valley Airport, providing food assistance to 4,000 families affected by the ongoing federal government shutdown and the suspension of SNAP/CalFresh benefits.
By News Desk
The event was organized in response to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s suspension of funding and the Trump administration’s noncompliance with a federal court order to release SNAP funds. It was supported by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, the City of El Monte, the El Monte Police Officers Association, the El Monte Business Alliance, the California Highway Patrol, and Valley Vista Services.
“The federal government’s failure to release food benefits has created an avoidable crisis for millions of families,” said Solis. “It’s unimaginable that a federal judge has to tell the President of the United States to feed people. In Los Angeles County, we are stepping up to ensure that families have access to food and dignity during this difficult time.”
Within Solis’s First District, about 340,000 residents rely on SNAP benefits. The event also provided information about local support services and county programs addressing food insecurity.
Solis has led several food relief initiatives in Los Angeles County. She supported a $10 million contract between the County and the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank to expand food purchasing and create new pop-up and drive-through pantries. She also allocated $1 million from her office’s discretionary funds to support local food pantries and another $1 million to Resurrection Church in Boyle Heights to expand its community food programs.
As a member of the L.A. Care Board of Governors, Solis approved $5.4 million in grocery gift card distributions and supported a $10 million allocation from the County’s Care First, Community Investment fund to offset federal SNAP cuts and strengthen local nutrition programs.
The event was staffed by volunteers from the California Conservation Corps, San Gabriel Valley Conservation Corps, Rio Hondo College Corps, CultivaLA, New Beginning Community Ministries, the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, Alma Family Services, and Spiritt Family Services, who distributed fresh produce, chicken, and nonperishable goods to participating families.
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