Scores of families across Orange County are continuing to grapple with hunger and poverty this holiday season as the need for food assistance remains critically high across the region.
It’s a situation food bank leaders say will only worsen with the expected impacts of President Donald Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill or H.R.1. signed into law earlier this year that includes $4.5 billion worth of cuts annually to the CalFresh food assistance program.
Ahead of the new year, local social services officials, CalOptima representatives and food bank leaders warned of upcoming drastic cuts and changes to the CalFresh program and Medi-Cal health insurance program expected to make it harder for families to stay healthy and fed.
[Read: OC’s Poorest Brace For Cuts to Food Stamps and Health Insurance This Thanksgiving]
Earlier this month, food bank leaders said the need for food will only rise in the new year without legislative efforts to reverse the cuts to the federal food assistance program.
“We have seen it rise over the course of the last year. These cuts that we see coming forward in 2026 we believe will translate into an even higher need than we’re seeing right now,” said Second Harvest Food Bank of OC CEO Claudia Bonilla Keller in an interview.
Mark Lowry, OC Food Bank director, said the cuts and changes means people will resort to using the money they need to pay their bills, rent, healthcare and transportation on food instead.
“In a domino effect, those dollars that are no longer available for the gas bill, the electric bill, the water bill, the phone bill, the rent, the auto insurance, the gasoline, the copay for the prescription is now no longer available,” he said in an interview.
“It would be predictable that we might see an increase in disconnect notices for utilities, eviction notices.”
As of August, over 309,000 people in Orange County – roughly 10% of residents – are enrolled in the CalFresh food assistance program, according to the California Department of Social Services.
Roughly 900,000 people are enrolled in CalOptima, the county-run Medi-Cal program for OC’s neediest residents. That’s 29% of the county’s roughly 3.1 million residents.
The upcoming changes to the CalFresh and Medi-Cal programs aren’t the only hurdles the food banks and their network of pantries have had to address this year.
Widespread deportation sweeps have sparked grass roots efforts to feed families too scared to go to the store or work.
Food banks, pantries and nonprofit leaders have adjusted their models to help immigrant families put food on the table amid the raids.
[Read: Feeding Orange County Families Amid a Federal Immigration Crackdown]
A prolonged government shutdown also interrupted the CalFresh food stamp program this fall.
[Read: Orange County Grapples With Loss of Food and Housing Benefits as Shutdown Drags On]
Lowry said during the shutdown that requests for emergency food assistance to 211OC – the county’s information referral line – grew nearly 500% from one weekend to the next.
“That’s a hint of things to come,” he said.
“You know, we know that there are several populations that are scheduled to lose their CalFresh benefits or have those reduced in the new year.”
For food assistance options, visit 211 OC
Keller said the county’s food banks can’t cover the need currently filled by the CalFresh program.
“No matter what we do, it’s simply not enough. For every meal that we provide. A program like CalFresh provides nine,” she said.
“There is a limit to what we can do and we certainly will try to do more of what we already do, but we cannot cover the entire need.”
Lowry points to proposed legislation like “Restoring Food Security for American Families and Farmers Act of 2025″ aimed at reversing the cuts to the federal food assistance program as the only real resolution to quelling the expected rise in food insecurity.
“Failure is not an option,” he said “The only thing that truly addresses this, that’s a right sized response is what some people have already done, repeal, litigate.”
Hosam Elattar is a Voice of OC reporter. Contact him at helattar@voiceofoc.org or on Twitter @ElattarHosam.