Napa County supervisors on Monday approved $1 million to help people struggling with food insecurity in the event that the state’s CalFresh benefits are delayed. 

The Board of Supervisors voted to declare a local state of emergency and to take the funds from the county’s Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement, a pool of money it’s used for health programs in the past.

The money will go to provide emergency grocery store gift cards for people who will lose their CalFresh benefits on Saturday because of funding problems related to the federal government’s ongoing shutdown.

In Napa County, approximately 6,600 households representing 10,700 residents rely on CalFresh benefits each month, according to county officials. 

Thirty-seven percent of Napa County residents who rely on CalFresh benefits are under 18 and 23 percent are 60 years and older.  

Last year, supervisors approved Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement funds to help the county’s Community Health Improvement Plan.  

“The invaluable partnership with Napa Valley Community Foundation — both in providing $150,000 in matching funds and administrative support — allows us to distribute emergency cards quickly through trusted community-based organizations,” said county HHSA Director Jennifer Yasumoto.

Residents seeking immediate food support can visit Community Action of Napa Valley’s food bank and free markets. 

People can also visit HHSA at napacounty.gov/HHSA/SSS and call HHSA Self Sufficiency Services at (707) 253-4511 or toll-free at (800) 464-4214. 

Kiley Russell writes primarily for Local News Matters on issues related to equity and the environment. A Bay Area native, he has lived most of his life in Oakland. He studied journalism at San Francisco State University, worked for the Associated Press and the former Contra Costa Times, among other outlets. He has covered everything from state legislatures, local governments, federal and state courts, crime, growth and development, political campaigns of various stripes, wildfires and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.