California: Local Impact

Hunger Statistics in California:

According to this latest data, 13.7% of Californians—about one in seven people—experienced food insecurity, while 16.9% of children lacked reliable access to enough food. (Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap 2025, based on 2023 estimates.)

That child food insecurity rate represents an estimated 1,346,359 California kids (16.9% of the 2023 child population)—enough to fill the Rose Bowl (89,702 seats) about fifteen times.

About 5,352,790 people across California face hunger. This challenge exists in every county, affecting urban, suburban, and rural communities alike.

Many households experiencing food insecurity earn too much to qualify for federal nutrition programs and instead rely on California food banks and their network of local partner agencies to meet basic food needs.

Partner Stories

 

Alameda County Community Food Bank

 

At the Albertsons Companies Foundation, we believe ending hunger starts with community—neighbors showing up for neighbors and partners working together to create lasting change. That belief is why we are proud to stand alongside Alameda County Community Food Bank (ACCFB), an organization rooted in community power and guided by the conviction that food is a basic human right. For more than four decades, ACCFB has brought this vision to life, connecting people to nourishing food while centering dignity, equity, and long-term solutions.

Through our partnership, we support efforts that ensure food reaches people at the right time, in the right place, and in ways that honor individual and cultural needs. ACCFB’s work goes beyond emergency response, strengthening local food systems and addressing the root causes of hunger so communities can thrive. Together, through Nourishing Neighbors, we are proud to help fuel this momentum—standing with a trusted local partner that continues to lead with purpose, accountability, and hope for a more just and resilient food system.

 

Inland Southern California 211+

 

Through our funding, we helped Inland SoCal 211+ dramatically expand access to CalFresh for families and individuals who were previously being missed. Since launching in 2018, the program has tripled its capacity—and our support played a pivotal role in that growth. Last year alone, our grant made it possible for outreach teams to go beyond traditional enrollment locations and meet people where they are: at senior centers, food pantries, community centers, and food distribution events. As a result, more than 2,200 household applications were submitted, connecting thousands of people to critical nutrition assistance and exceeding the original goal to reach 1,500 households.

Just as importantly, our investment helped shift outreach toward those facing the greatest barriers—seniors, rural households, individuals reentering the workforce, and families navigating income crises who often didn’t know CalFresh was even an option. By pairing in‑person and phone‑based enrollment with bilingual, culturally responsive support, Inland SoCal 211+ ensured people could apply without sacrificing work, childcare, or transportation. Our funding didn’t just increase enrollment numbers—it helped remove fear, confusion, and access barriers, strengthening long‑term stability for households while reinforcing the belief that food is a basic need everyone deserves to meet with dignity.

 

 

Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank

At Nourishing Neighbors, we know that when families can’t count on their next meal, everything else becomes harder. In San Diego County—where one in eight people experiences food insecurity—rising housing costs, household debt, and inflation have left too many families struggling to keep up. Our funding of the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank helped ensure that, even as demand remained high and federal food resources declined, families continued to have access to nutritious food when they needed it most. By helping the Food Bank purchase food to replace reduced federal commodities, our support strengthened a vital safety net at a moment when incomes were not keeping pace with the cost of living.

This investment goes beyond meals—it helps restore stability and calm during times of crisis. At community distributions supported by this grant, partners shared how reliable access to food brings normalcy and relief to children and families under stress. As one partner explained, “We know focusing on basic needs is where we need to start to calm the nervous system. In moments of crisis, having reliable food sources to support children and bring some normalcy is amazing.” Through this partnership, Nourishing Neighbors is proud to help the Food Bank address immediate hunger while advancing its broader goal of breaking the cycle of poverty—starting with the dignity, nourishment, and security every family deserves.


ExtraFood

At Nourishing Neighbors, we believe food is more than nourishment—it is comfort, stability, and connection, especially during life’s most difficult moments. Through our support of ExtraFood, we helped ensure fresh, healthy meals reached people when they needed them most, from families staying at Family House near UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital to students working toward a brighter future. For families separated from home while caring for a hospitalized child, shared meals became a source of togetherness and hope. As Family House shared, these meals helped bring residents together and “made their spirits bright” during an incredibly challenging time.

Our funding also strengthened ExtraFood’s ability to serve students and families across Marin County who rely on consistent access to food to stay focused, healthy, and resilient. Partners like Next Generation Scholars described the food as a “true lifeline,” relieving the stress of hunger so students could concentrate on their education, while Marin Community Clinics emphasized how ExtraFood delivers hope alongside nourishment to hundreds of households facing hardship. Together, through Nourishing Neighbors, we are proud to support partnerships that do more than fill plates—they restore dignity, reduce stress, and remind families and students that their community is standing with them.

 

 

 

 

 

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