May 2026 Newsletter

I believe in hard work. I believe in wages, in independence, in the dignity that comes from earning your own way. So, when HR 1 passed and brought changes to SNAP — known here in California as Cal Fresh — I understood the intent. Helping more Americans move from dependence to independence is a goal worth pursuing.

But good intentions don’t always translate into good outcomes for real people and the gap between policy and reality is where our neighbors live.

Beginning June 1, as many as 665,500 Cal Fresh recipients in California could begin to lose their food benefits due to stricter work requirements for Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents, or ABAWDs. In Sacramento County alone, that number could reach 20,000 to 30,000 people — families who will wake up one morning without access to the grocery support they’ve been relying on.

Wouldn’t it be ideal if cutting a benefit automatically translated into employment? If removing access to food somehow unlocked a clear, smooth path into a stable job? For some individuals, perhaps. But there is no one-size-fits-all solution to poverty, and it is shortsighted to assume otherwise.

A lasting solution to workforce dependency requires more than a hard stop. It requires mentorship, job coaching, accessible transportation, mental health support, and the basic stability that comes from not going hungry. Cutting off nutritious food without simultaneously building that bridge is more like a stumble in the dark, than tough love.

State and county officials are directing displaced Cal Fresh recipients to their local food bank. We are honored to be a trusted community resource — and we are also being honest with you: food banks cannot fill this gap alone. The necessary funding and capacity are simply not there.

What we can tell you is this: with the same amount of space and roughly the same food donations as five years ago, Twin Lakes Food Bank is currently serving 40% more food-insecure families. We’ve stretched every dollar, tightened our service area, and increased our food purchasing budget to make that possible.

But as our community grows and social safety nets shrink, the weight lands here. The number of people walking through our doors will continue to rise. While policy debates continue, our mission remains unchanged: to make sure no one in our community goes hungry.

Your support for Twin Lakes Food Bank is not just charity. It is a direct investment in the stability of this community, especially in moments when policy and people don’t line up the way we would hope.