San Diego leaders warn state panel that federal cuts and hunger are straining local health systems
Experts told legislators that 400,000 local residents rely on CalFresh, with new federal rules threatening to cut that number by half a million statewide.
By Ethan Cook ·
Residents of San Diego County face a growing risk of losing their food benefits as federal legislation tightens eligibility rules. Local health officials and hunger advocates told state lawmakers this week that the changes could leave many families without access to fresh food. This shift threatens to worsen chronic diseases and strain the region's public health infrastructure.
Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson and State Sen. Steve Padilla chaired a hearing at the San Diego County Operations Center on Wednesday. The panel focused on how limited food access drives cardiovascular disease and impacts academic performance. Dr. Alexandra Kharazi, a cardiothoracic surgeon in San Diego, testified that a lack of fresh, unprocessed foods accelerates heart conditions. She noted that high blood pressure and diabetes often lead to end-stage bypass operations in the South Bay community.
Dr. Kharazi highlighted a disparity in the food available to different neighborhoods. She pointed to research linking microplastics in processed foods to cardiovascular risks. "There’s more of a disparity of the food that people are able to have access to," she said. She also warned that medical teams often misdiagnose heart symptoms in women as part of the menopausal transition. She urged policymakers to expand access to fresh produce to reduce arterial damage.
California received $12 billion in SNAP benefits in 2024. Approximately 400,000 people in San Diego currently receive CalFresh, the state name for the federal program. Jared Call, policy director for the California Association of Food Banks, stated that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act represents the largest cut to SNAP in its history. The group serves 6 million people annually. Call predicted that over half a million Californians will lose access to benefits in the coming year.
Administrative confusion and immigration fears have already driven 300,000 Californians off the rolls in the past eight months. This group includes 130,000 children. Call urged the state to raise emergency funding for CalFood to $60 million. He said this increase would help food banks plan ahead and secure more inventory. Statewide data shows 24% of adults and 33% of households with children experienced food insecurity in 2025.
Alondra Alvarado, CEO of the San Diego Hunger Coalition, testified that one in four county residents faces nutrition insecurity. The region currently supplies 25.7 million meals per month but faces a monthly deficit of 5.5 million meals. The gap is widest among Black residents at 36% and Latino residents at 35%. Alvarado described these gaps as equity issues tied to stable income and housing access.
Dr. Alberto Banuelos, interim director of San Diego County Self-Sufficiency Services, said new work requirements put 93,500 local CalFresh recipients at risk. Nearly half of these individuals are expected to lose coverage. The changes also affect 309,000 Medi-Cal beneficiaries. In response, the county launched a year-long food distribution program in August. It began with six locations in areas most likely to be impacted by the federal changes.
State education leaders marked the fifth anniversary of the School Meals for All program. This initiative provides free breakfast and lunch to all public school students. Over 62% of the state’s 5.7 million public school students live near or below federal poverty lines. The program served 868 million meals during the 2025-26 academic year.
Kim Frinzell, director of Nutrition Services at the California Department of Education, stated that the meal programs remain stable. She viewed this stability as evidence of the need for consistent food security. The data presented at the hearing outlines the current financial and health pressures on the region as federal support declines.
