Every Thanksgiving, Maria Hernandez makes her signature potato casserole for her family and neighbors. It’s always a hit — frozen hash browns, cream of chicken soup, sour cream and crackers. But this year, she’s not sure if she’ll be able to afford the ingredients.
Almost a week into November, Maria Hernandez hasn’t received her federal food assistance yet.
Normally, she gets $130 in monthly grocery assistance, known in California as CalFresh. This month, she was expecting about $60 — if she receives anything at all.
She first heard about the cuts on the news, but wasn’t sure if she could trust it.
“You know, sometimes the news, you never know,” she said.
Then she started getting texts from San Diego County. Because of the government shutdown, CalFresh payments would be delayed, and a fraction of the normal amount.
Hernandez is one of about 400,000 CalFresh recipients in the county. None of them have received benefits yet, according to county spokesperson Cassie Saunders. She said they’re “waiting on word from the state on the latest federal actions. The county will share updates with recipients as they become available.”
“I got nervous. I got scared. I got worried. You know, like, how are we going to eat?” Hernandez said.
She started swapping fresh food for cans and boxes.
“Spaghettis, stuff that you know is stuff that's not really that good for you, but, you know, it's something that's going to fill your stomach,” she said.
She has help. The church across the street. A free farmers market that comes to her apartment complex once a month. A Poway food bank, where the line stretched to the hundreds this week. Family, if she’s really in a pinch.
She worries about people who don’t have all that support.
“I feel bad for the other people, like the other mothers that are out there with a lot of children that aren't going to be able to feed their kids,” she said.
Now at 37 days and counting, it’s the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. She’s hoping and praying it ends next month.
“Because if next month comes around — what else are they going to get rid of? If it’s CalFresh, what's next? Section 8?” she said. “People getting their disability? People getting welfare?”
After Hernandez spoke with KPBS, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to find the money by Friday to fully fund food assistance for November.
