Community leaders and school officials in Gilroy are stepping up to provide weekend meals for children and families affected by the suspension of SNAP/CalFresh benefits.
The meals program came about after Gilroy Unified School District reported rising concerns about weekend hunger among students who depend on meals provided during the school week.
“When we heard about the sudden disruption of SNAP/CalFresh benefits, we immediately mobilized, said Nathan Ganeshan, founder of Community Seva Inc.
The school district is partnering with Community Seva to provide meals on Saturdays and Sundays through November.
Over the past weekend, the nonprofit and volunteers prepared and distributed about 800 boxed meals, made at Community Seva’s centralized commercial kitchen in the City of Santa Clara.
The emergency initiative is being carried out in collaboration with Santa Clara County Supervisor Sylvia Arenas, Gilroy Mayor Greg Bozzo, the Gilroy school district and the South County Youth Task Force
“Our families in South County are hurting, and children should never bear the burden of bureaucratic delays or policy breakdowns,” Santa Clara County Supervisor Sylvia Arenas said.
Community Seva is a nonprofit dedicated to feeding the hungry and serving the unhoused across Santa Clara County and the greater Bay Area.