On Saturday morning, Genaro Alfonzo pulled up to the Kia Forum in Inglewood wearing his Dodgers hat and jersey, with his boys in Blue Pickip TORK flag.
But the morning after his beloved Dodgers won Game 6 of the World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays, Alfonzo wasn’t happy. It was almost 11 in the morning, and the 70-year-old still hadn’t eaten.
“Just this,” she said, tearing up as she held up a blue, half-empty coffee mug. “I don’t work. My wife doesn’t work – there is no work. The market is expensive.”
Alfonzo is among thousands of people who showed up at a food delivery event Saturday at the Kaia Forum for the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank on the first day of the emergency, or Snap.
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It was the first day of the month — the first day of a temporary freeze on federal food assistance for millions of low-income Americans, including 5.5 million Californians, because of the government shutdown that began on Oct. 1.
on friday, Two federal judges, in separate decisionsordered the US Department of Agriculture to begin spending more than $5 billion in emergency funds for Snap during the government shutdown. But they gave the agency until Monday to figure out how to do that.
While the orders were a win for people who rely on Snap, they did not mean that recipients would be saved by the elimination of food aid. During most of the weekend, local food banks are busy preparing for the need.
People pick up food distributed by Noel Community Organization at the Lily of the Valley Church of God In Christ Saturday in Long Beach.
(Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times)
California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta – Whose office helped file a lawsuit against the Democratic Eleventh Centrol Persication over the Discoffice Cuteff – Allowance of Areas That Will Not Include Calfresh Fees and Other Benefit Cards.
“That’s our best estimate [SNAP benefit] The cards can be loaded and used for about a week,” he said, adding that “there may be about a week when people are hungry and need food. ” For new applicants, he said, the delay can be very long.
On Saturday, amid gray skies and fog, dozens of volunteers at the Los Angeles County Food Bank stocked shelves that will be able to cover their shelves starting in 2018, when the government is shut down for 35 days.
Volunteers sent food containers in about 5,000 vehicles, according to the food bank. Each donation contained about 40 food items, including whole grains, fresh produce, tortillas, canned tuna, chicken and frozen chicken.
“This is what a major disaster looks like,” said Michael Clokhula, the food bank’s chief executive. “It’s about getting as much as possible to as many people as possible – safely and in the shortest amount of time.”
Fueled by bins of snacks – chips, oranges and bottled water – many volunteers expressed enthusiasm for the long day ahead.
“I’m just happy to be here – it’s a great opportunity to help people,” Jordan Diaz, 35, said.
Ron del Rio, 54, said he was happy to help but was angry about the circumstances.
“It’s frustrating and sad to see people going hungry,” she said. “It’s so good that it has to be this way. Why are there 5,000 cars brought here in a rich country?”
Norma White gives Dario Medina a free haircut as people wait to choose food distributed by the Noel Community Organization at the Villey Church of the Ghrist Saturday.
(Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times)
About 600,000 people get LOS Angeles, according to Mayor Karen Bass, who said in a statement on Friday “No one in Los Angeles has to worry about putting food on the table because of its control.”
Volunteer Diane Jackson, 72, Loads Cars With Boxes of New Hit Products Almost Home. Her son was in line for food earlier this morning.
“You have 7 children!” he said. “He confirmed he’s going to get out of here. I’m so glad they’re here – it feels good.”
Volunteers are greeted with fist bumps, air hugs and shouts of thanks.
While waiting in line, Maxx Bush, 79, who lives near the forum, said he was angry because his income is not increasing, even though shops, insurance, medicine, fuel and other necessities are more expensive.
“Our elected officials allow us to cut corners because we vote and put these people in office, and they tend to find personal vendettas and forget the main thing, the people.”
In their opposition to the States’ request for a temporary ban that requires the return of emergency funds, USDA lawyers reserved that $5.25 billion is reserved for “natural risks and may cause more disruption later. Emergency funds will not cover nearly $9 billion needed for all the benefits of November, according to the USDA.
Last week, Gov $80 million in food banks to measure. More than 63% of SNAP recipients in California are children or the elderly, Newloom’s office said.
“I have read that our lawyers have asked the court to clarify how we can legally pay Snap as quickly as possible,” President Trump said. in the post about social truth on Friday. “It’s already been delayed enough because of the Democrats keeping the government shut down … it’s going to be my honor to provide the money.”
On Saturday, Bonta snapped back.
“The Trump Admin chose to kill food aid for people in need. They chose to allow people to starve and now they are turning their gratitude only to lawsuits,” BOTA he said to x. “It should never have gotten you this in the first place.”
Two people left a food delivery site Saturday in Long Beach.
(Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times)
Around noon on Saturday, the parking lot of the forum was a cacophony of sound: car engines blasting music, fire engines beating the distance, planes roaring, planes roaring their way to the nearest lax.
RayVone Douthard, 51, took food from a white Nissan truck with the windows down and paused for a moment covering the band’s 1967 hit. ” DouThard, a DJ wearing a colorful T-shirt, said he received federal food aid and was concerned about the delay in funding.
“It’s not fair,” she said. “Donald Trump needs to stop what he’s doing. Everybody needs to eat.”
Then he turned his music back on.
“But I feel good about this,” he said touching the busy parking lot. “Everyone works together. As the song says!”
