Solis Delivers Food Relief to 4,000 Families in El Monte Following Federal Aid Suspension
Event at San Gabriel Valley Airport provides critical relief amid federal government shutdown and suspension of food aid.
EL MONTE, Calif. — Los Angeles County Chair Pro Tem and First District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, in partnership with the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, today hosted a large-scale drive-through food distribution at the San Gabriel Valley Airport, serving 4,000 families in need. The event was carried out with support from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, the City of El Monte, the El Monte Police Officers Association, the El Monte Police Officers Foundation, the El Monte Business Alliance, the California Highway Patrol, and Valley Vista Services.
The event was organized in response to the ongoing federal government shutdown and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s suspension of funding for SNAP/CalFresh food benefits, as well as the Trump administration’s refusal to comply with a court order to allocate reserved funds for SNAP-eligible Americans.
“The federal government’s failure to release food benefits has created an avoidable crisis for millions of families,” said Chair Pro Tem Solis. “It’s unimaginable that a federal judge has to tell the President of the United States to feed people. In Los Angeles County, we are stepping up to ensure that families have access to food and dignity during this difficult time.”
The First District is home to approximately 340,000 residents who rely on SNAP benefits to help put food on the table. In addition to emergency food assistance, attendees received information about local support services and programs available through county departments.
Chair Pro Tem Solis has long championed efforts to combat food insecurity across Los Angeles County.
She supported a $10 million contract between the County and the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank to significantly expand the Food Bank’s purchasing capacity for November and to establish additional pop-up and drive-through pantry sites to reach more families.
In addition, Chair Pro Tem Solis directed $1 million from her office’s discretionary funds to strengthen the Food Bank’s capacity to serve local pantries and community-based organizations in the First District. Earlier this year, she also provided $1 million to Resurrection Church in Boyle Heights to expand its long-standing food pantry programs, which have been a lifeline for countless families.
As a member of the L.A. Care Board of Governors, Chair Pro Tem Solis further approved $5.4 million in additional food relief efforts, including the distribution of grocery gift cards.
She also championed a $10 million allocation from the County’s Care First, Community Investment fund to offset prior federal SNAP cuts and expand nutrition support programs.
Dozens of volunteers from the California Conservation Corps, San Gabriel Valley Conservation Corps, Rio Hondo College Corps, CultivaLA, New Beginning Community Ministries, the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, Alma Family Services, and Spiritt Family Services helped distribute pallets of fresh produce, chicken, and nonperishable goods during the drive-through event.
