In light of recent reductions in federal funding, community efforts to alleviate food insecurity have been affected.
Feeding America, which is the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization, estimates that Fresno County has a 17% food insecurity rate, compared to the national food insecurity rate of 14.3%. Fresno also has the fifth-highest food hardship rate of any metropolitan city across the nation.
Supporting existing efforts to fight food insecurity bolsters their impact
Organizations such as the Amendola Family Student Cupboard at Fresno State aim to tackle food insecurity.
“As the price of things goes up in society, it makes sense to come in and get something for free and save some money,” said Michael Ballin, coordinator of the Student Cupboard.
The Cupboard gets an average of 2,500 visits per week and about 10,000 visits a month from students alone, according to Ballin.
“[The] lines are so long sometimes we have to hold the door … make sure we let some people out before more people come in,” Ballin said.
Ballin also explained that efforts from the campus community to help and support the Student Cupboard are what make the initiative successful.
“The reason why we’ve been able to grow and expand is because we built a relationship with our student government,” he said.
The Cupboard recently received nearly $500,000 from the student fee increase to promote food access across campus.
“When you have the power of the student voice speaking for you or supporting you, I think that’s a very powerful thing,” Ballin said.
Focusing on holistic and collaborative solutions
More local efforts to reduce food insecurity include focusing on nutrition education as a long-term solution.
For instance, CalFresh Healthy Living (CFHL), University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) is a nutrition education program serving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligible populations across Fresno and Madera counties.
“[UCCE] develops curricula, toolkits and other resources to support counties in delivering evidence-based nutrition and health programs,” said Irene Padasas, a community nutrition and health adviser with University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources through UCCE.
Padasas shared that UCCE led a statewide food-waste reduction initiative that translated research into practical education for limited-resource families. The project focused on reducing waste through key topics such as helping families better understand expiration dates and finding ways to use edible parts of foods that might otherwise be discarded.
“It’s about teaching them those practical skills while also reinforcing healthy eating habits and promoting better resource management,” Padasas said.
According to Padasas, the education provided by UCCE goes beyond teaching people what to eat — it equips communities with the knowledge and skills to lead healthier lifestyles. She explained that nutrition education has traditionally focused on the individual but emphasizes that broader policy and system changes should prioritize scalable, long-term solutions.
Padasas added that nutrition education is more than just healthy eating — it also encompasses environmental and community factors such as designing safe walking paths.
She also said that connecting across communities and programs to make a meaningful difference requires strong collaboration.
“Everyone who wants to create change and address a problem needs to be aligned and communicating,” Padasas said. “Too often, programs overlap or work in isolation — missing the opportunity to maximize resources and create greater impact together.”
How do federal cuts impact these programs?
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Sec. 10107 of the One Big Beautiful Bill will end required funding for the SNAP Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Grant Program after the 2025 fiscal year grants are allocated.
Padasas discussed the magnitude of this change for UCCE’s CFHL program.
“Just last year, across my four counties, we delivered direct education to about 27,500 individuals,” Padasas said. “This year, I actually expect our numbers to increase. So imagine the impact if the program were to exit — tens of thousands of families would lose critical access to nutrition education and support.”
Padasas added that the CFHL program’s numbers have grown since the pandemic. She also explained that the increase in numbers and the high need are why current funding cuts present such a challenge.
Hernán Treviño, a health education specialist with the Fresno County Department of Public Health (FCDPH), said that many of the challenges associated with federal budget cuts are significant.
Treviño said that the CFHL program in Fresno County ended on Sept. 30. He added that the FCDPH has a projected loss of over $2 million for the 2026 fiscal year.
Over eight full-time positions at the FCDPH are impacted due to the loss of funding, and vital programs are disrupted in the Lowell, southwest Fresno, Kerman, Mendota, Parlier, Sanger, Reedley and Orange Cove communities, according to Treviño.
In light of these challenges, Treviño explained that the FCDPH is now looking into ways to continue obesity and chronic disease prevention work at a smaller capacity.
While all of the effects of federal cuts on food insecurity across the Valley remain uncertain, for now, community organizations are doing their best to support existing programs.