Food Insecurity in Marin

Firstly, we want to thank the folks of Marin County for their incredible generosity in supporting this fund. For many weeks, SNAP recipients in our county – and across the nation – had been subjected to a cruel whiplash of rulings and appeals which created confusion and anxiety. Marin County saw a substantial increase in traffic to food banks and local food pantries, and nonprofit organizations were stretched thin as they worked around the clock to get food distributed.

After MCF seeded the Food on Every Table fund with $500,000, a further $1 million was raised from donors and community members. In addition to the fundraising, we worked closely with the County of Marin and local food partners (SF/Marin Food Bank, ExtraFood and Agricultural Institute of Marin) to determine how best and most quickly we move the funding to reduce or eliminate any gaps in coverage.  In early November we made two grants of $50,000 each to ExtraFood.org to increase meal/grocery distribution to meet surge demand due to SNAP cuts, and to Agricultural Institute of Marin, to subsidize food purchases & fresh food distribution at Rollin Root stops, farmers markets and pantries due to SNAP cuts. That support was critical in enabling an expanded distribution effort for the short-term. 

We subsequently learned from our County partners that the federal funds for SNAP beneficiaries were finally transferred in full, for the month of November. This is a huge relief for thousands of our neighbors.  We want to assure you that the contributions made to this fund will continue to be deployed for the purpose intended: to ensure our neighbors have continued access to the food they need and deserve.

The belated restoration of funds owed to SNAP recipients is only one piece of why Marin residents are at risk of hunger. There is a very real concern that the situation could arise again next month, or early next year when the current short-term government funding measure expires. Federal budget cuts from HR1 also will reduce eligibility and benefits as they roll out. Beyond that, even in the best of times, SNAP benefits only reach a portion of Marin residents who need food. Bottom line: the food security crisis is only going to escalate, and we need to be prepared to respond, urgently and effectively.

We are continuing to collaborate daily with the County and with our network of food nonprofits to establish a protocol to institute when interruptions to benefits occur and a large-scale response is necessary. We are identifying efficient ways to provide direct assistance to recipients if they are again endangered, as well as bolstering capacity and distribution systems with food pantries and community organizations. And, importantly, we’re using this moment in time as an opportunity to try and set a new direction for the procurement and distribution of food in Marin County to ensure that no person faces hunger.

With the demand for food assistance remaining at high levels as the holiday approaches, we're currently working on another round of grantmaking support from this fund for key organizations and will provide an update as soon as it is finalized.

Our commitment to you is to be transparent about the use of the funds that were raised and we will continue to refresh this page regularly. Our focus, as always, is on our community members and ensuring their health and safety. We have nothing but gratitude for your support and your flexibility. 

While the immediate emergency with SNAP funding has abated, if you're interested in supporting MCF's ongoing work in ensuring food security throughout Marin County, your donation is always appreciated!