CalFresh Cuts Put Latino Families at Risk
The story was also broadcast on Telemundo 33 KCSO Sacramento as part of the 2025 Ethnic Media Collaborative, Healing California.
Carmen arrived in Sacramento 19 years ago and since then has supported her family by selling tamales on the streets. Photo credit Telemundo 33 Sacramento
In California, cuts to the food assistance program Calfresh could impact more than 735,000 beneficiaries. Among them, Latino children represent nearly 40 percent of those who receive this support. Sacramento is known as the farm-to-fork capital, but despite the abundance, more than 448,000 people live with incomes below 200 percent of the federal poverty level—putting them at risk of going hungry.
Carmen arrived in Sacramento 19 years ago and since then has supported her family by selling tamales on the streets. Today she lives with her daughter, son-in-law, and grandson. But providing for her family is becoming more and more difficult, and her working hours have decreased out of fear of immigration raids in her community. We are not using her last name to protect her identity.
Rising prices force her to prioritize only the essentials.
“The little that comes in, I divide into three parts. Save some for an emergency, save for the bills, and save for food.”
“We can sacrifice ourselves, not buying things we used to buy, but the bills—those we can’t skip because we have to keep up… so we stick to the most basic things we eat as Latinos: beans, rice, pasta, and a little chicken.”
Carmen’s story reflects the reality of thousands of Latino families. In fact, studies from USC and UCLA reveal that nearly half of low-income Latino adults in California experience food insecurity, which is linked to a higher risk of chronic disease and obesity in adults ages 18 to 65. A higher risk of obesity is linked to developmental and mental health impacts in children.
The Sacramento County Food Bank, serves more than 300,000 people every month. Many of these families work but can’t make ends meet.
Lorena Carranza, senior manager of partnerships at the Sacramento County Food Bank says that in Sacramento county they “have data showing there are more than 448,000 people at risk of going hungry … they may have resources to feed their family today, but they are not sure if they will have enough to feed their families tomorrow.”
According to the same food bank, 26 percent of its beneficiaries are children, and another 26 percent are seniors. Just in 2024, the average number of people served each month grew by more than 9 percent compared to last year.
“We believe this is due to the economic situation, the high cost of living, and families struggling to pay rent, utilities, and for food,” says Carranza.
It is estimated that 4 out of 10 Latino children in California depend on CalFresh for their nutrition. CalFresh, known federally as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP, provides monthly food benefits to individuals and families with low-income.
“The investment in human capital for these children, both in nutrition and health, will be greatly diminished—and in the future, we will see the consequences,” cautions Carranza.
Experts warn that the lack of access to adequate nutrition in childhood not only affects physical growth but also school performance and mental health.
Families like Carmen’s continue to adapt month by month to make sure food doesn’t run out at their tables. In the meantime, the Sacramento food bank is calling on the community to donate and support those most in need.