With possible delays of CalFresh (SNAP) food benefits due to the federal government shutdown, here is a list of food banks and other food assistance resources to help the community in Santa Ana:
- 2-1-1 Orange County Phone: 2-1-1 Website: 211oc.org
- Calvary Church of Santa Ana Address: 1010 N. Tustin Ave., Santa Ana, CA 92701 Phone: (714) 973-4800 Website: calvarylife.org
- Catholic Charities of OC: Doris Cantlay Food Distribution Center Address: 2020 W. Chestnut Ave., Santa Ana, CA 92703 Phone: (714) 347-9602 Website: ccoc.org
- Delhi Community Center Address: 505 E. Central Ave., Santa Ana, CA 92707 Phone: (714) 568-0496 Website: delhicenter.org
- El Sol Academy – Food Distribution Center Address: 1002 N. Broadway, Santa Ana, CA 92701 Phone: (714) 543-0023 Website: elsolacademy.org
- Food with Love – Love Community Outreach Address: 1920 W. Chestnut Ave., Santa Ana, CA 92703 Phone: (714) 852-3738 Website: foodpantries.org
- Saint Joseph Church – Loaves & Fishes Address: 727 N. Minter St., Santa Ana, CA 92701 Phone: (714) 241-9016 Website: stjosephsa.org
- Santa Ana Senior Center Address: 424 W. 3rd St., Santa Ana, CA 92701 Phone: (714) 647-6540 Website: santa-ana.org
- Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County Address: 8014 Marine Way, Irvine, CA 92618 Phone: (949) 653-2900 Website: feedoc.org
- Serve the People Community Food Bank Address: 1206 E. 17th St., Santa Ana, CA 92701 Phone: (714) 352-2911 Website: servethepeople.org
- Seva Collective Drive-through Food Pantry Address: Villa Fundamental Intermediate School, 1441 E. Chestnut Ave., Santa Ana, CA 92701 Phone: (714) 584-7573 Website: facebook.com/sevacollectiveofficial
- Southwest Community Center Address: 1601 W. 2nd St., Santa Ana, CA 92703 Phone: (714) 547-4073 Website: capoc.org
The City of Santa Ana is providing additional information here.
Approximately 14.6% of Southern California residents—including those in Orange County—are expected to lose CalFresh (SNAP) benefits due to the federal government shutdown, placing them at immediate risk of food insecurity.
Here’s what that means for Orange County:
- Nearly 2 million residents in Los Angeles and Orange counties combined could face food insecurity starting November 1, 2025, as CalFresh payments are delayed or halted.
- CalFresh serves about 1 in 8 Californians, and Orange County has tens of thousands of households relying on these benefits to buy groceries.
- Local food banks and pantries are bracing for increased demand, especially in areas like Santa Ana, Anaheim, and Garden Grove, where CalFresh enrollment is higher.
Key factors contributing to the need:
- The federal government has declined to use a $5 billion contingency fund to continue SNAP payments in November.
- Even if partial payments resume, delays will leave many families without reliable access to food for days or weeks.
- School meal programs will continue unaffected, but adult and senior populations are especially vulnerable.
It really doesn’t matter what side we’re on, the nature of our current political system is all about obstructing your opponents. Purely objectively speaking, in a country split 50/50 down the middle, does democracy make sense as a system of governance? Or is this endless gridlock the end result? Im not sure what the solution is, it’s definitely not 20th century communism as the left wants, and it’s not authoritarianism dictatorship as some say the right wants, but our current system as it stands seem to be good at producing only political gridlock and a bunch of extremely wealthy octogenarian career politicians.
So true. The electoral college is much maligned but it prevents us from electing straight up communist dictators. However the gerrymandering by both parties is unfortunate as it locks in incumbents. We really need term limits in Congress…