Advocacy
Policy principles
Access to nutritious food is a human right.
Every member of our community should have the food they need to thrive.
Policies should be focused on access for all.
We are committed to examining systems, policies and practices to ensure they support diversity, equity and inclusion for all.
Addressing the root causes of hunger.
We will explore how we can support root-cause solutions in areas tied to ending hunger and where our voice can make a difference.
Community voice matters.
We will support nonpartisan efforts at the local, state and federal levels to increase access to voting and encourage voter registration.
Policy priorities
Farm Bill – The most important federal legislation for CalFresh and food banks
We will advocate for a robust Farm Bill that protects access to vital food assistance programs for low-income people.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), called CalFresh in California, is the first line of defense against hunger. For every meal provided by food banks, nine are provided through CalFresh.
Key CalFresh Priorities:
Increase Benefits, Expand Eligibility, Improve Access, Protect Choice:
We will advocate for a CalFresh program which takes a more accessible approach to addressing food insecurity. We will oppose
any effort to restrict eligibility or reduce benefits.
This includes ensuring:
• Benefit amounts are adequate for a household to meet its nutritional needs.
• Access for all underserved populations, such as low-income college students and those reentering their community after incarceration.
• Receiving food assistance is not tied to harmful work requirements.
• Applications can be processed online and by phone.
• Recipients maintain the ability to purchase the food that best meets their household’s needs
The Emergency Food Assistance Program: We will advocate for strong TEFAP support in Congressional Farm Bill negotiations—a win for U.S. farmers, food banks and our neighbors experiencing food insecurity.
Food4All
The California Food Assistance Program is a state-funded program that mirrors CalFresh and supports people who are not eligible for CalFresh under federal rules. We support the Food4All campaign to expand this program to all low-income immigrants.
CalFood
California’s support of food banks and farmers through CalFood is vital to a strong safety net. Given the continuing high level of food insecurity, we will advocate for $60M in ongoing annual statewide funding for this program.
Addressing the Root Causes of Hunger
Systemic racism and other inequities are the root causes of hunger. As part of our mission to end hunger in our community, we will explore how we can support root-cause solutions in areas like income and safety net programs, affordable housing, environmental justice and support of basic needs for immigrants. We will work in coalition with our community and focus on solutions where our voice will have the greatest impact.
Environmental Justice and Sustainability – Clean air, water and soil: Under-resourced and marginalized communities are inequitably impacted by climate change and aging infrastructure. We will learn more about efforts to improve air, water and soil quality, whether they impact the fields where our food is grown or our local neighborhoods.
Housing – Safe, clean, affordable housing for our communities, including farmworkers: We will partner with experts in housing policy to support expanding affordable housing in our region and to ensure that farmworkers have safe, clean and accessible housing options.
Income and Safety Net Programs – Adequate wages and tax credits: We will support efforts to increase minimum wages and provide tax credits to low-income people in our communities, including the expanded Child Tax Credit. Ensuring our community has the financial resources to afford nutritious food is a clear root cause solution to reducing food insecurity.
Support of Basic Needs Regardless of Immigration Status:
• Second Harvest provides food to everyone who needs it and never asks for immigration status. We will continue to make our distribution sites safe and welcoming locations for anyone who needs food.
• We will support governmental and community efforts that ensure that all people, regardless of immigration status, have access to food, education and other basic needs.
• We will support policies that protect farmworkers, who are integral to our food system.
• We will assist mixed-status families in accessing the benefits to which their citizen members are entitled.