Funding for Food4All Implementation Included in 2021-22 State Budget
Published on Jun 28, 2021 in CalFresh, Immigrants, State Legislation
We are pleased to share that the 2021-22 State Budget includes funding to begin implementation of the Food4All proposal. The funding and accompanying trailer bill language will move the state toward the modernized California Food Assistance Program (CFAP) proposed in SB 464 (Hurtado).
Specifically, the June 28 Budget Package "funds programming and other costs to prepare to expand CFAP. This possible expansion would help meet the nutrition needs of those who, due to their immigration status, do not qualify for other California food programs. The decision to expand the program in 2023-24 and beyond will be subject to appropriation."
We applaud the Governor and Legislature for prioritizing a permanent solution to the immigrant exclusion in CalFresh. California is now poised to lead the way by advancing bold policy solutions like Food4All that reject racism and xenophobia by creating an equitable nutrition safety net.
We also thank Senator Hurtado for her leadership on Food4All (ComidaParaTodos), our cosponsors California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPC), and our Food4All Coalition partners.
Read the joint statement from Nourish California and CIPC here.
Lea la declaración conjunta de Nourish California y CIPC aquí.
What’s Next?
Today's news is a major step forward toward a California where immigration status is no longer a barrier to vital food assistance. We look forward to continuing to advocate with the Legislature and Newsom administration next year to ensure funding for Food4All is appropriated on a permanent basis
We are proud of this bold step forward toward a future where all Californians — regardless of immigration status — have the food they need.
Join the Food4All campaign here.
Questions? Contact Jared Call at jared@nourishca.org.
Background
While the majority of Californians are eligible to receive CalFresh food assistance if the need arises, current laws explicitly exclude undocumented immigrants, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders, and others from federal SNAP/CalFresh and the state-funded California Food Assistance Program (CFAP). These are not isolated communities. Roughly one in six of California kids lives with at least one undocumented parent, and nearly one in ten California workers is undocumented. They are our neighbors, our friends, our classmates, the frontline workers who keep us safe, the teachers who educate our kids, and the healthcare professionals who put their lives on the line to heal others.
Yet, despite making significant and ongoing contributions to California’s overall prosperity, immigrants with temporary or undocumented status face discrimination and structural barriers to employment, education, and public services. As a result, children with working immigrant parents are twice as likely to live in poverty than children with non-immigrant working parents. The pandemic has worsened hardship for immigrants across California, many of whom are locked out of economic relief, including our most effective anti-hunger program—CalFresh/CFAP.
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