Los Angeles food banks and nonprofits support residents as SNAP benefits lapse
Your morning catch-up: L.A. food banks step up as SNAP benefits lapse, driverless freight trains on SoCal rails and more big stories.
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A pause in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for millions of low-income Americans, including 5.5 million Californians, remains in effect as the government shutdown continues.
Two federal judges told the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Friday that it must begin using billions of dollars in contingency funding to provide federal food assistance to poor American families despite the federal shutdown but gave the agency until Monday to decide how to do so.
But it’s still unclear how exactly the relief should be provided, or when it will arrive for millions of families who have lost benefits.
Although the orders were a win for states and the nation’s SNAP recipients, they do not mean that all those recipients will be spared a lapse in their food aid, state officials stressed.
In the meantime, state and local food banks scrambled over the weekend to help as the deluge of need began.
Thousands of people showed up Saturday to a drive-through food distribution event at the Kia Forum in Inglewood organized by the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.
Scores of volunteers for the food bank gathered outside the Forum to serve Angelenos looking to stock their shelves and refrigerators, my colleagues reported, for what could become the longest shutdown since 2018, when the federal government was shuttered for 35 days.
Volunteers disbursed food containers to about 5,000 vehicles, according to the food bank. Each container had items for about 40 meals, with whole grains, fresh produce, tortillas, canned tuna, yogurt and frozen chicken.
Judges order funding restarted
Two Obama-appointed judges rejected Trump administration arguments that more than $5 billion in USDA contingency funds could not legally be tapped to continue SNAP benefits for nearly 42 million people — about 1 in 8 Americans — while the federal government remained closed.
The rulings came as the now monthlong shutdown continued with no immediate end in sight.
California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta blamed the shutdown on President Trump and his administration, The Times’ Kevin Rector wrote, and said the USDA broke the law by not tapping its contingency funds to continue payments.
Bonta also said SNAP benefits had never been disrupted during previous federal government shutdowns, and should never have been disrupted during this shutdown, either: “That was avoidable. Trump created this problem.”
The Trump administration has blamed the shutdown and the disruption to SNAP benefits on Democrats in Congress, who have blocked short-term spending measures to restart the government and fund SNAP. Democrats are holding out to pressure Republicans into rescinding massive cuts to subsidies that help millions of Americans afford health insurance.
Helping neighbors in need
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” that Trump said he “needs to hear from the courts how this is going to be done. ... There’s a process that has to be followed.” He said it was possible the funds would flow by Wednesday.
In the meantime, SNAP recipients need food now.
Community leaders and local nonprofits have been stepping up to fill in the gap by hosting free grocery pop-up markets and other events to help out their neighbors.
The Times has compiled a list of ways to volunteer in these efforts.
From North Hollywood to Inglewood, volunteers can help with drive-through food distribution events, packing grocery bags, and preparing and distributing meals to those who need them most.
Today’s top stories
Prop. 50 could disenfranchise Republican California voters
- Experts say opponents of Proposition 50 have no viable federal legal challenge against the new maps on the basis that they disenfranchise a large chunk of California Republicans.
- If Californians vote in favor of the measure Tuesday, the number of Republicans in the state’s House — nine of 52 total members — would likely be reduced by five.
- Campaign spending has exceeded $192 million in under three months, making Proposition 50 one of the state’s costliest ballot measures.
- To beat the election day rush, here’s how to vote today in California.
The Dodgers’ World Series victory
- “It’s one of the greatest games I’ve ever been a part of,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after his team outlasted the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 to win its second straight World Series.
- In a year of unprecedented upheaval across the city, fans and city leaders saw the Dodgers’ victory as deeply symbolic.
- Magic Johnson dismissed criticism that the Dodgers’ spending was “ruining baseball,” saying the team is creating more interest in the sport.
- Here’s a look at each of the 22 other times the franchise played in the World Series, from Brooklyn to Los Angeles.
How Zone Zero, designed to protect California homes from wildfire, became plagued with controversy and delays
- After years of delays, California’s Zone Zero regulations face a Dec. 31 deadline.
- But it seems likely state officials will miss that deadline as they struggle to balance fire safety with what’s reasonable for homeowners.
- Many L.A. residents oppose the rules, which could require the removal of healthy plants from home perimeters, arguing the restrictions lack scientific evidence to justify such measures.
What else is going on
- A U.S. citizen was shot from behind as he warned ICE agents about children gathering at a bus stop, his lawyers say.
- Driverless freight trains on Southern California rails? This L.A. startup is already testing them.
- LAX and San Diego airport were experiencing average flight delays of at least an hour Sunday amid air traffic control staffing shortages due to the federal government shutdown.
- The son of alleged L.A. Crips leader Eugene “Big U” Henley was fatally shot.
- San Francisco has been mourning the death of KitKat, a beloved corner-store cat who died after being struck by a Waymo robotaxi last week.
- Inside the race to train AI robots how to act human in the real world.
Commentary and opinions
- California’s sleazy redistricting beats having an unhinged president, argues columnist George Skelton.
- Payback? Power grab? Proposition 50 is California’s political ink-blot test, columnist Mark Z. Barabak argues.
- Democrats may be finding themselves, but voters know what they want, writes columnist LZ Granderson.
This morning’s must read
Carmen’s abusive husband came home drunk one night last summer. He pounded and kicked the door.
Other must reads
- 40 food drives and turkey giveaways in L.A. this November.
- At 65, she got her first tattoo. Now she has 17 and feels “seen again.”
- Oscars power rankings, Round 2: The top 10 best picture contenders right now.
For your downtime
Going out
- Cocktail bar: The L.A. cocktail revolution begins again at this Tokyo-inspired Long Beach bar.
- Restaurant-club: This old steakhouse transforms into SoCal’s hottest salsa dancing hub by night.
- Dining: L.A.’s best sushi restaurant has relocated with a star bartender and a new menu format.
Staying in
- Books: Anthony Hopkins’ new book details his difficult childhood, his battle with alcoholism and his career.
- Recipe: Here’s a recipe for instantly creamy ramen.
- ✏️ Get our free daily crossword puzzle, sudoku, word search and jigsaw games.
A question for you: What’s the best hiking trail in SoCal?
Email us at essentialcalifornia@latimes.com, and your response might appear in the newsletter this week.
And finally ... your photo of the day
Today’s great photo is from Times photographer Jason Armond in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday as Dodgers fans celebrated the team’s World Series win.
Have a great day, from the Essential California team
Jim Rainey, staff reporter
Hugo Martín, assistant editor, Fast Break desk
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Andrew Campa, Sunday writer
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters
How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com. Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on latimes.com.
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