PREVIOUSLY: ‘Treat Them With Dignity’: Humboldt Residents, Businesses Step Up to Help Local People at Risk of Losing SNAP Benefits

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A federal court has blocked the Trump administration from suspending SNAP, the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, during the government shutdown. 

In his ruling, Judge John J. McConnell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island told the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that the program must be funded using federal contingency funds, according to reporting from the Associated Press. SNAP, known as CalFresh here in California, provides monthly food benefits to approximately one in eight Americans.

“There is no doubt and it is beyond argument that irreparable harm will begin to occur if it hasn’t already occurred in the terror it has caused some people about the availability of funding for food, for their family,” Judge McConnell said during a virtual hearing on Friday.

In a separate ruling, Judge Indira Talwani of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts ordered the Trump administration to indicate by Monday whether it would provide full or partial SNAP benefits in November, according to The New York Times. 

The ruling comes days after two dozen states and the District of Columbia sued the federal government over its “unlawful refusal” to fund SNAP benefits during the ongoing government shutdown, despite possessing contingency funds to keep the federal food assistance program funded through November.

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UPDATE 2 P.M. California Attorney General Rob Bonta responds to Friday’s federal court ruling:

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today released the following statement in response to decisions issued by two federal district courts — one in Massachusetts and the other in Rhode Island — holding the Trump Administration accountable for unlawfully suspending Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for the month of November. 

“Today, not one, but two federal district courts determined that the Trump Administration acted unlawfully when it chose to suspend SNAP benefits for the month of November. The Trump Administration knows that it has a legal duty to fund SNAP benefits, even during the current government shutdown. In fact, just last month, the USDA admitted as much in a document that it later deleted from its website,” said Attorney General Bonta. “SNAP benefits provide an essential hunger safety net to an average of 5.5 million Californians each month. Simply put, the stakes could not be higher. The Trump Administration must move expeditiously to fund November SNAP benefits.”

Earlier this week, Attorney General Bonta co-led a coalition of 23 attorneys general and three governors in filing a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and its Secretary, Brooke Rollins, over the unlawful suspension of November SNAP benefits. The coalition also filed a request for a temporary restraining order, which the court considered during an in-person hearing yesterday. In that case, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts issued an order today stating that USDA’s SNAP “contingency reserve … must be deployed to fund SNAP benefits.” The court also determined that Attorney General Bonta and the coalition are “likely to succeed on their claim that [the Trump Administration’s] suspension of SNAP benefits is unlawful.” 

In a related lawsuit brought by a coalition of local governments, nonprofit organizations, small businesses, and workers’ rights organizations, the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island issued an order directing USDA to fund November SNAP benefits using at least the over $5 billion in contingency funds that it has available.

A copy of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts’ decision can be found here.

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Press release from Green Diamond Resource Company:

Weather conditions permitting, Green Diamond Resource Company plans to conduct prescribed burning for fuel hazard reduction today, October 31, 2025. Burning will be conducted approximately ½ mile east of Big Lagoon in northern Humboldt County. Burning operations are implemented in coordination with CAL FIRE and North Coast Unified Air Quality Management District. Please note that smoke may be visible in surrounding areas, including Highway 101, while prescribed burning activities are being conducted. Green Diamond staff will be onsite monitoring prescribed burning and fuels reduction operations. 

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Voters in Sacramento got a mailer in recent weeks declaring that “California’s landmark election reform — under attack by Sacramento politicians.” Orinda residents have received flyers that shout “Fight back against Trump — Vote Yes.” The narrator on a video ad shared on X intones, “Two wrongs don’t make a right — Vote No.” These are among a barrage of advertisements, yard signs and billboards bombarding Californians with direction to support or oppose redrawing the state’s congressional districts four years ahead of schedule.

But none of it was paid for by the major campaigns advocating for and against Proposition 50, the ballot measure put forth by Gov. Gavin Newsom to counter Republican redistricting efforts in Texas. Instead, nonprofits, political parties and a billionaire have financed an independent effort as election day approaches Tuesday.

Groups not directly affiliated with any Prop. 50 campaign have reported spending nearly $26 million to influence voters as of October 30, more than any ballot measure in California history, according to a CalMatters analysis of secretary of state campaign finance data. The spending does not include the $118 million reportedly spent by the three major campaign committees.

Anybody can buy ads, pay canvassers, or otherwise promote their position on a California ballot measure as long as they register a state committee, disclose major funders in the ads themselves and don’t coordinate with the primary campaigns. Once they’ve spent at least $1,000, they must report their spending to the secretary of state as independent expenditures.

Independent spending for the redistricting measure is significantly more than the previous record-setting Prop. 32 in 2012, which drew $10.8 million in similar spending and would have restricted campaign contributions from labor unions if it passed.

The largest spenders outside of the major campaigns this time are billionaire Democrat Tom Steyer, who reported more than $12.8 million in expenditures and the California Republican Party, which poured more than $10.2 million into ads and messaging opposing the measure. As a result, Steyer and the state GOP have become the second- and third-largest independent ad buyers in state history. The only group to have spent more was run by former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s “California Dream Team,” which reported spending a combined $27.8 million on multiple ballot measures in 2004 and 2005.

In yet another example of how the campaign has drawn national attention, Congressional Leadership Fund, a Republican super PAC, gave $8 million to the state GOP in October, which they used to buy nearly $2.9 million worth of digital ads two weeks ago; the super PAC also gave $5 million directly to one of the major campaigns against Prop. 50 — “Stop the Sacramento Power Grab.”

Some large nonprofit organizations are spending money on Prop. 50, too. The largest expenditures come from the California Community Foundation, which reported spending $800,000 to support the proposition, although that doesn’t capture all of the money the nonprofit is putting into the election.

Miguel Santana, president and CEO, said that the foundation is additionally spending more than a million dollars to convince voters to participate in the election without telling them specifically how to vote, though efforts to increase turnout without taking a position are not reported to the secretary of state.

“California representation at the federal level matters,” Santana said. “Our power is being diluted by the gerrymandering that is taking place in other parts of the country.”

Not just Democrats and Republicans

Other political parties and groups in the state have also reported independent expenditures for Prop. 50. The left-leaning California Working Families Party reported spending more than $36,500 on digital ads and outreach to reach voters who might be less receptive to Newsom as a messenger.

“This isn’t the fight we wanted, but I think it’s important that California, the most populous state in the country, fights back,” said Jane Kim, California Director of the Working Families Party. “We really want to hit younger voters who are less party loyalists.”

The Libertarian Party of California spent more than $6,400 for postcard mailers opposing the proposition. Loren Dean, chairman of the state party, said the outreach was an opportunity to raise the party’s profile. “It is important to us to take every opportunity to remind people that the ‘two-party’ choice is a fiction built by would-be monopolists who yearn for authority over their neighbors,” Dean said. “Third-party voices matter.”

Though not a registered political party, the California Democratic Socialists of America reported spending more than $3,500 to try to persuade voters to vote yes while maintaining distance from Gov. Newsom.

“We are not doing this to support him,” said William Prince, co-chair of the organization. “We must ally with him in the struggle against fascism.”

Similarly to the Libertarian Party, the DSA also sees value in putting out campaign materials stamped with “Democratic Socialists of America.”

“When voters think about who encouraged them to vote against a permanent MAGA majority in Congress, more are going to think of [California] DSA than they would have if we sat this out,” Prince said.

Elected officials and local parties hit their districts

More than two dozen county parties, along with current and former elected officials, have reported more than $1 million in independent expenditures for and against Prop. 50.

The Sonoma County Democratic Party reported spending nearly $90,000 on postcards, phonebanking and radio ads to support the initiative, while the Yuba County Republican Party reported almost $55,000 to spread opposition signs around Northern California.

Pat Sebo, chairperson of the Sonoma County Democratic Party, said the county party spent money on its own mailers and canvassing because it wanted to move faster than its state counterpart. “We wanted to act, we had volunteers, we had them basically beating down the doors at headquarters here,” she said.

“Ballot measure campaigns usually do not distribute signs to local Republican groups,” said Johanna Lassaga, chair of the Yuba County Republican Party. She credited her group’s expenditures for raising visibility of the party’s unified position: “If you drive through the North State, you will see [our signs] everywhere.”

Along with a $5,000 contribution to the main Yes campaign, former Democratic state Sen. Steve Glazer from Orinda used his ballot measure committee to spend more than $160,000 in support of Prop. 50, because he said he could reach voters in his district in a way a statewide campaign could not.

“When you’re running a statewide campaign, you don’t always have that luxury of microtargeting,” Glazer said. “I felt that I had a good handle on the pulse of the voters in my area, where I believe I have a heightened level of credibility.”

“We decided we want to do it quicker, better, faster,” said Assemblymember Juan Alanis, Republican from Modesto, whose ballot measure committee reported spending more than $12,500 on signs to oppose Prop. 50. He said the short election cycle meant the statewide campaigns could not ensure enough signs would reach his district in time, so he decided to “make sure my area is taken care of.”

Assemblymember Maggy Krell, a Democrat who represents Sacramento, said that the most valuable way she could have spent $8,000 was to organize door-knocking in her district. “My best contribution to the campaign is my network of volunteers — people who are going door-to-door and engaging voters one conversation at a time,” she wrote in an email.

Republican Assemblymember Carl DeMaio from San Diego spent more than $430,000 from his Reform California committee, because he didn’t think the official No campaign was up to the task. He released a final ad last week that urged voters statewide to reject Prop. 50.

“I don’t trust the failed consultants of these mega-committees,” he said. “My intuition was correct. The ads were horseshit, off-message.”

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As President Donald Trump prepared to send a phalanx of federal immigration agents into the Bay Area, Gov. Gavin Newsom bemoaned the lack of outrage about Trump’s actions and ramped up his own warnings about election manipulation.

“He is going to try to rig this election,” he told reporters last week, referring to Trump’s pursuit of Republican gerrymandering in red states to ensure the party holds onto its slim majority in Congress next year.

He called the potential deployment of immigration agents — later called off by Trump — a dictator’s move to suppress the vote. Repeatedly, he’s told the story of Border Patrol agents showing up to his ballot measure kickoff event and said he expects federal agents and troops to monitor polling places next week.

As the campaign for Proposition 50, the anti-Trump Democratic gerrymandering effort California voters are deciding on, reaches a fever pitch, so too has the rhetoric of Newsom, its chief promoter.

“God help us if we lose in California,” he said in a Prop. 50 fundraising email this month. “We may have enjoyed our last free and fair election.”

Approaching his final year as governor, Newsom is staking the next phase of his career on the proposition that he first suggested as a bluff to discourage Texas’ redistricting and that he’s now casting as central to American democracy.

After a few months this year of attempting to make nice with Trump, exploring on his podcast why so many voters shifted right in 2024 and angering the left in the process, the governor spent the summer and fall delighting many Democrats again with a renewed sense of combativeness against the second-term president.

So far, he’s reaped the benefits.

From June to August, he doubled his approval in polls of potential 2028 Democratic presidential contenders rising from 12% of surveyed voters picking him to 25%. Appearing before a friendly Late Show with Stephen Colbert audience in September, he touted his willingness to be a Democrat who fights Trump on his own terms by using social media trolling. He got former President Barack Obama to join him in promoting Prop. 50.

“They’re going to send a very powerful message to the rest of the country that there has to be a new approach to dealing with Trump and Trumpism,” Newsom said of California voters on Tuesday. “It’s about the United States of America, it’s about what our founding fathers lived and died for.”

The big bet is paying off

Whether the measure passes is not just a test of whether the self-styled resister-in-chief can capture national support in 2028, but also whether he has his finger on the pulse today.

“Failure is not an option,” Newsom said last week. “We’re going to win, because people understand how precious this moment is.”

It’s a bet that risks his credibility, said Democratic strategist Matt Rodriguez. Though he added he believes the measure will pass, Rodriguez said Prop. 50 poses political “downsides” that “are bigger than the upsides.”

“His entire messaging is, ‘This is the end of the world if it doesn’t pass,’” he said. “If it doesn’t pass, it’s going to be pretty discouraging.”

Newsom has remained defiant, arguing it’s a bigger risk for Democrats to sit quietly. Asked last week if he had a contingency plan should the ballot measure fail, Newsom instead set up sky-high stakes, vowing it will pass and that Democrats will take the House and spell the “de facto end” of Trump’s presidency.

It’s working, for now: His ballot measure, which allows California to use gerrymandered congressional maps favoring Democrats to offset gerrymandered Republican House gains in Texas, is polling ahead with 56% of likely voters this month saying they would vote yes. The campaign has received so many donations that this week Newsom took the extremely rare step of telling supporters to stop sending money, seemingly an early declaration of victory.

Even Democrats who have fought Trump-backed, GOP-led gerrymandering in their own states are on board.

After Newsom placed Prop. 50 on the ballot, Missouri Republicans at Trump’s behest passed their own gerrymandered congressional map, carving out the seat held by Kansas City’s Democratic congressman. The lines cut through the suburban district of state lawmaker Keri Ingle, who said she nevertheless supports Newsom’s effort because red-state Democrats “are depending on Newsom for representation in Congress right now.”

Missouri Republicans, Ingle said, argued that because they lead the party of the majority there, they should be allowed to redraw that state’s map to gain another seat in Congress.

“To that I say, ‘OK, have it your way,’” she said. “Go get ‘em, Newsom.”

‘Long way to go’

Should the measure pass, using it to propel Democrats — and Newsom himself — further nationally is still a tall order.

There’s no guarantee that passing Prop. 50 will ensure Democrats win back the House. Few other blue states have even considered starting their own redistricting efforts, and none have nearly enough population to produce more than one or two new Democratic congressional seats. This week, Virginia Democrats approved a temporary redistricting proposal similar to California’s, though it couldn’t go to voters there until next year. Meanwhile, three GOP-led states — Texas, Missouri and North Carolina — have already passed their own gerrymandered maps. This week, Republican Indiana Gov. Mike Braun called in a special legislative session to do the same.

And Rodriguez said there’s still little sign Democrats have a platform to win back the middle-ground voters most concerned about crime and their economic prospects.

A September Reuters poll of American adults showed Democrats only two percentage points ahead of Republicans on the issue of “respect for democracy,” and four percentage points behind on “political extremism.” A Reuters poll this month showed 40% of American voters will vote in the midterms based on the cost of living. Protecting democracy was second in importance, at 28%.

“There’s still a long way to go, as to whether this passing will leapfrog him further than he has already,” Rodriguez said of Newsom. “It’s just not a vote-driver for most Americans.”

In red, rural Modoc County, erstwhile Democrat Sarah Merrick said she’d like to see the party develop a clearer national platform “instead of just being anti-Trump,” that includes reining in health care costs, campaign finance reform and committing to winning back moderates. She and her husband left the party in recent years, feeling it was “so leftist” and unnecessarily alienating cultural conservatives.

Prop. 50 and Newsom’s highlighting of democratic principles got her more energized about politics for the first time in years, said Merrick, who leads a local Indivisible activist group. But she’s not sure if she’d support Newsom for president, saying she wants to know more about the state’s decision to provide health care for poor undocumented immigrants and why it hasn’t lowered housing prices.

“I really like his backbone right now, I think it’s awesome,” she said. “I think stressing on Prop. 50 and anti-dictatorship and all that is OK for now, through Nov. 4. After Nov. 4, I think a big shift needs to happen in messaging.”

An economic plan will be important for both swing voters, and for the party’s faithful.

Lorena Gonzalez, leader of the California Labor Federation, has led union workers across California in running an aggressive anti-Trump campaign to help pass Prop. 50. But she said the governor’s future political prospects will depend in part on how he handles American workers’ anxiety around artificial intelligence and job losses, which Gonzalez predicted will be a prominent election issue in 2026 and beyond.

“It’s catapulted him,” she said of Prop. 50 and Newsom. “I don’t think it lasts beyond this time.”

Danielle Davis
March 10, 1993 – October 18, 2025

Danielle Elizabeth Davis passed away unexpectedly in the early morning on Saturday October 18, 2025 in San Francisco. Danielle was a loving, shy soul who loved her only son, Bentley, immensely.

Danielle is survived by her son, Bentley Davis; her parents, Mark and Jenny Davis of Eureka and Arcata; her sisters, Ashlynn Owens of Eureka and Hailee Davis-Hardaway of Arcata; her brother, Jacob Davis of Eureka; her aunts Vicki (Steve) Gibney of Eureka, Lisa Hider of Weaverville and uncle Kevin Hardaway of Eureka; numerous cousins — Justin, Trevor and Josh Gibney, Amber Legey, Jessica, Joshua, Matt Montel and Thomas Hider and Darren Hardaway; and lots of second and third cousins and great-aunts and uncles.

She is preceded in death by her uncle Jeffrey Hardaway and niece Autumn Hardaway. Her grand-parents both just passed earlier this year — Roger and Ila Hardaway.

The earth feels lighter now that you’re away, but we will forever feel your presence guiding our way. We know you are up in heaven looking down upon us all, with your beautiful smile and twinkle in your eye. Your memory stays with all of us left here on this earth and we will guide and assist your son as he grows up a man. Danielle is now one of the bright stars up in the sky at night to cast a light upon us. With love, your family.

A family celebration occurred Saturday, Oct. 25, in Eureka. Cremation occurred in San Francisco.

You Never Said ‘Goodbye’

You never said I’m leaving, you never said goodbye.
You were gone before I knew it, and only God knew why.

A million times I needed you, a million times I cried.
If love alone could of saved you, you never would of died.

In life I loved you dearly. In death I love you still.
In my heart you hold a place that no one could ever fill.

It broke my heart to lose you, but you didn’t go alone.
For part of me went with you, The Day God Took You Home.

I will always love you mom, your son, Bentley. Until we meet again …

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As millions of Americans brace for the indefinite suspension of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) on Nov. 1, Humboldt County residents, businesses and nonprofits are stepping up to ensure local folks have continued access to healthy food. 

SNAP, known as CalFresh here in California, provides monthly food benefits to nearly 42 million low-income people — approximately one in eight U.S. residents — including 5.5 million Californians and 32,000 people here in Humboldt. Those benefits won’t be distributed next month due to the ongoing government shutdown and the Trump administration’s refusal to draw from a contingency fund, marking the first delay in SNAP benefits since the program’s inception.

When Eureka resident Olivia Gambino heard the news in the wee hours of the morning last week, her first thought was how to help.

“The moment I read at 3 a.m. that SNAP was not going to be delivered, I began thinking of a strategy,” Gambino told the Outpost. “It is our job as citizens behind the Redwood Curtain to take care of our own. … As I have grown in this community, so has a fierceness of protection, responsibility, and love towards it. I would like to see everyone — no matter who you are — put your foot down and say, ‘I will protect my neighbors, I will lift them up, and I will show everyone respect and treat them with dignity.’”

On Monday, she went to Costco and bought enough bulk food to fill nine boxes for families in need. On top of what she’s donated personally, Gambino has raised $1,000 from at least 15 donors to buy Winco gift cards for local families. 

“Winco gift cards seemed the way to go [because] there’s dignity in autonomy,” she said, emphasizing the importance of “just acting” and not overcomplicating the issue. “The people who receive these benefits are my friends, my family, my neighbors. You can’t simply look at someone and say, ‘You get what you get.’ Food is very personal, and feeding a family is not one-size-fits-all.”

Gambino said she would “love for this to manifest into a larger effort,” adding that she will continue to accept donations and deliver gift cards “as long as folks keep supporting the effort and I feel like I can persist.”

“I can’t do it all the time, but I loved putting the boxes together from my heart,” she said. “Delivering food is fun!”

Those interested in donating can send funds to Gambino through Venmo. And if you’re interested in doing something similar, be wary of scammers. 

“Watch out for internet scammers,” she warned. “I give assistance in person in the form of physical cards or food boxes. Do not transfer money to anyone you do not know! I already had folks ask me to wire them money through the messenger app. You definitely have to use your critical thinking skills.”

[MONDAY UPDATE: Gambino reached out over the weekend to tell us that someone is impersonating her account on Venmo. We’ve removed her account from this story. On the upside, she said she’s helped a total of 30 families since we last spoke.]

Old Town Coffee & Chocolates is also stepping up to help. Starting Nov. 1, both Eureka locations will offer free breakfast to people losing SNAP benefits. 

“If you’re losing SNAP benefits for your family, breakfast is on us 7:30 - 10 a.m. Just ask for the Special Snack,” the business wrote in an Instagram post. “We are plotting ways to extend this into dinner hours. … If you’re in a position to help us offer this to our community, please do.”

Staff with the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), which administers CalFresh locally, have been meeting with Food for People and family resource centers to ensure vulnerable community members have access to up-to-date information. 

“DHHS does not have funding that can support the lack of CalFresh benefits, but staff are continuing to work cases so they will be ready to issue benefits once the shutdown has ended or benefits are funded by another source,” DHHS spokesperson Christine Messinger told the Outpost. “DHHS staff has also joined forces and is launching a county employee food drive to collect food to support some of our local [family resource centers].”

Food for People, of course, is doing what it can to fill the gaps through its countywide pantry network and mobile produce pantry.

“We are trying our very best to prepare for the surge that we are likely to see, given the disruption in benefits,” said Food for People Executive Director Carly Robbins. “It’s really important to remember that nationwide food bank networks are not built for this kind of response. A statistic that I point to a lot is that for every one meal a food bank provides, SNAP or CalFresh benefits provide nine. Trying to take that on in the existing network is kind of inconceivable, but we are doing everything we can to prepare.”

Staff are working with local partners and the county to source as much food as possible to keep the nonprofit’s pantry stocked.

Speaking to criticism that people who receive SNAP benefits are taking advantage of government resources, Robbins said she has found the opposite to be true in her interactions with people at the food bank.

“The folks that we see in our food bank — most of whom do receive CalFresh or have applied in one form or another — by and large fall into categories like seniors and veterans living on low, fixed income, or folks who are employed or underemployed in a region where the cost of living is really high and wages are comparatively low,” Robbins said. “That’s why SNAP benefits are huge. They help stabilize households so people aren’t having to decide, ‘Do I pay my rent so I keep my household stable, or do I feed my child?’”

“At Food for People, we want people to be able to have the stress of feeding themselves and their family off the table so that they can focus their funds — if they need to — on housing and utilities to keep their households stable,” she added. “That’s what creates a healthier community for everyone.”

Those interested in donating funds or food can do so at Food for People’s website — at this link. Monetary donations are ideal because the nonprofit buys in bulk, but food donations — especially high-protein items — will be gladly accepted as well.

‘SNAP Benefits Can and Must be Provided’

California is taking legal action against the Trump administration in response to the SNAP cuts. Earlier this week, Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta joined two dozen other states in suing the federal government over its “unlawful refusal to fund SNAP benefits due to the nearly month-long federal government shutdown, despite possessing funds to support SNAP in November.”

“Let’s be clear about what’s happening: For the first time ever, SNAP benefits will not be available to the millions of low-income individuals who depend on them to put food on the table,” Bonta said in a prepared statement. “November SNAP benefits can and must be provided, even with the government shutdown. USDA not only has authority to use contingency funds, it has a legal duty to spend all available dollars to fund SNAP benefits.”

The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts on Tuesday, argues that the federal government has the funds available to cover “all, or at least a substantial portion,” of November SNAP benefits for its 42 million recipients. The complaint notes that the USDA is sitting on billions in contingency funds, some of which have already been used to fund the Women, Infants & Children (WIC) program during the government shutdown.

“[A]t least one other appropriated fund available to USDA has enough money to fully cover November SNAP benefits,” the complaint continues. “[O]n September 30, USDA itself acknowledged in its own shutdown contingency plan that SNAP ‘has been provided with multi-year contingency funds that can be used for State Administrative Expenses to ensure that the State can also continue operations during a Federal Government shutdown’ and that ‘[t]hese multi-year contingency funds are also available to fund participant benefits in the event that a lapse occurs in the middle of the fiscal year.’”

A full-screen banner on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) website claims the funding isn’t available: “Bottom line, the well has run dry.” The notice also states that Senate Democrats “have now voted 12 times to not fund the food stamp program” and have opted instead to “hold out for healthcare for illegal aliens and gender mutilation procedures,” a claim Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has called “a total, absolute, effing lie.”

In a newsletter sent out this morning, North Coast Rep. Jared Huffman called the Trump administration’s action “despicable.”

Huffman

“This level of cruelty is incorrigible, and I refuse to sit back and let Republicans put millions of struggling families at risk of being unable to feed their kids and have access to basic health care,” Huffman stated. “I joined 213 of my Democratic colleagues in demanding that Secretary Rollins use the administration’s power and the SNAP contingency fund to provide full November food assistance as the Republican shutdown enters its second month.”

In previous government shutdowns, the USDA has found ways to keep SNAP funded to avoid a lapse in benefits. In 2019, during the first Trump administration, the USDA tapped into contingency funds to issue SNAP benefits early. In a memo issued last week, the USDA claimed the contingency funds are “not legally available” and are set aside for natural disasters.

Federal law requires states to continue operating SNAP programs “even when benefits are suspended or reduced,” according to the complaint. States currently cover 50 percent of the cost of administering SNAP programs, but that figure will increase to 75 percent in 2027, in accordance with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

“Plaintiff States are thus being forced to spend their limited resources to operate a benefits program while USDA fails to provide the underlying benefits,” the complaint continues. “Indeed, Plaintiff States have already spent millions in October to administer SNAP benefits … When those benefits do not go out on time (or at all), that investment will have been for naught. USDA has given no indication that States could recoup their share of these forced wasted expenditures.”

Correspondence from the USDA has “instigated significant uncertainty, confusion, and questions among State agencies,” and imposed “an additional administrative burden on already-strained resources and staff trying to operate a complex program,” the complaint states. For some state-run programs, that means preparing for “significant” layoffs.

The coalition has also requested a temporary restraining order that would require the USDA to maintain benefits through November.

‘We Gotta Act Fast and Think Differently’

There’s no telling how long the lapse in SNAP benefits will last. St. Vincent de Paul’s dining facility in Eureka is preparing for an increase in Free Meal attendees. Local volunteer Hannah Ozanian said she’s anxious to see how the organization will be impacted by the influx of new people.

“With homeless services across the board, there is typically a reprieve at the first of every month when folks get their monthly allocations. That’s when a lot of people spend their money, and as it runs out, they come back for meals towards the end of the month,” Ozanian said. “But what if we don’t have that break anymore? What if the numbers just keep going? We gotta act fast and think differently.”

Along with Free Meal, St. Vincent de Paul Redwood Region Board President Bob Santilli said volunteers are preparing “commodity boxes” with both fresh and non-perishable food items for people in need. 

“We’ll probably see a spike in demand for those,” he told the Outpost. “We are known for having a lot of resources because of our collaborations. There’s a lot of uncertainty when you operate within this industry, and you just have to be aware of that and take any opportunities that come your way. From a donation standpoint, we’re well-supported through several organizations, including Food for People, Costco, WinCo and Coca-Cola.”

On top of that, Santilli said he just received word that the Humboldt Creamery would be donating a bunch of ice cream to the dining facility for the holidays. Pacific Towing is going to donate a few dozen turkeys for Thanksgiving as well.

“We have a lot of empathetic partners,” he added. “And there’s a lot of big-hearted people that volunteer with us, people who’ve never had a great shake in life, but they understand the plight of others.”

St. Vincent de Paul is always looking for new volunteers. A group of high schoolers from St. Bernard’s Academy has been volunteering at Free Meal on Mondays, but they always need more people, especially during the holiday season.

The Community Access Project for Eureka (CAPE) is also working with St. Vincent de Paul’s and other local partners to keep community members informed. Those seeking resources can visit the Eureka Community Resource Center at 1111 E Street, Monday - Friday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. 

The Community Resource Center can also be reached at 707-441-4242 for more information or to collaborate on program development.

College of the Redwoods Launches Food Drive for Students

College of the Redwoods is expanding access to its Basic Needs Center and launching an emergency food drive to support students. Those who wish to donate non-perishable items can do so at CR’s Eureka, Del Norte and Hoopa campuses, or at its downtown Eureka office at 527 D Street. Donations can also be made at upcoming football and basketball games.

Those wishing to contribute financially can donate online at this link or mail a check to the College of the Redwoods Foundation, 527 D Street, Eureka, CA 95501, with a note indicating the donation should be used for the Basic Needs Center.

“Hunger does not recognize political parties,” CR President Keith Flamer said in a prepared statement. “Our focus is on making sure every student has access to food and the support they need to continue their education, no matter what is happening at the federal level.”

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A few other local businesses/organizations have announced their own free or meal programs since we originally published this story. Drop us a line at news@lostcoastoutpost.com if you have additional resources. We’ll do our best to keep this list updated.

• Arcata House Partnership has free food at its pantry in Valley West. The nonprofit is in “urgent” need of non-perishable food items. Donations can be taken to Arcata House Partnership’s office at 4677 Valley West Blvd. in Arcata between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday - Friday. More information here.
• Community United of North Arcata/Comunidad Unida del Norte de Arcata (CUNA) is hosting a free produce day on Saturday, Nov. 1, from 3 to 6 p.m. at 4700 Valley East Blvd. in Arcata. More information can be found on their Facebook.
• Falafelove in King Salmon is a free meal to anyone who’s hungry. “We will be serving a chicken barley soup at no charge for anyone who asks, no questions asked – until the government shutdown resolves.” Details here.
  
• Food Not Bombs serves free (vegan) hot meals every week in Arcata and Eureka. Meals are served every Sunday on the Clark Plaza in Old Town Eureka at 3 p.m. and the Arcata Plaza at 3 p.m. Food Not Bombs also provides meals at 4 Bayshore Way in Myrtletown on Mondays.
• The Humboldt Gold Exchange in Eureka is providing free meal bags for children with proof of a SNAP/EBT card. More information can be found here.

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Additional SNAP-related resources:

• Food for People
• County of Humboldt - CalFresh Services
• Humboldt Families Helping Families Facebook Group
• California Association of Food Banks
• California Department of Social Services CalFresh FAQ

Press release from the Eureka Police Department:

On October 29, 2025, at about 5:25 p.m., a Eureka Police Department (EPD) Community Safety Engagement Team (CSET) Sergeant, Patrol Officers, and members of Humboldt Bay Fire (HBF) were dispatched to a report of a suspicious person and possible water rescue in Humboldt Bay near the Slough Bridge. The reporting party indicated an individual appeared to be walking into the water.

Upon arrival, HBF and EPD personnel observed a male approximately 50 yards from shore, moving erratically and continuing further out into the Bay. HBF rescue swimmers deployed to contact the individual; however, upon contact, it became apparent that the individual was experiencing a mental health crisis and was uncooperative with rescue efforts.

Due to the individual’s location, HBF was unable to safely deploy their larger vessel and requested assistance from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) for a smaller, more maneuverable vessel. As daylight diminished, the situation posed increasing safety risks to both the individual and responding personnel. To assist, HCSO deployed a drone to provide aerial lighting and real-time footage to Incident Command. Mental health professionals from the Crisis Alternative Response of Eureka (CARE) program were also notified.

After approximately two and a half hours of coordinated efforts, the individual ultimately complied with first responders and agreed to board the HCSO vessel. With assistance from the drone’s aerial lighting, the individual was safely transported back to shore, where ambulance personnel provided medical attention. The individual was then transported to a nearby hospital and placed on a mental health hold for evaluation and care.

The Eureka Police Department would like to extend its gratitude to the Humboldt Bay Fire Department and the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office for their collaboration. EPD and HBF would like to thank the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance as their personnel and resources were instrumental in ensuring the safety of both first responders and the individual involved.