Visalia delays senior meal price increase as local hunger crisis looms

Members of the Visalia City Council found themselves handling a pair of food-scarcity political hot potatoes at the Tuesday night meeting on November 3.

Ultimately, the five-person board agreed to put off raising the cost of city-subsitized meals for seniors, while shooting down the idea of financial support for the Visalia Emergency Aid Council (VEAC) in a separate 3-2 vote.

Food Aid Requests Climbing Quickly

The pair of council decisions were made against the backdrop of a partial halt in federal USDA nutritional benefits. In the wake of the closure of the federal government, the USDA announced Tuesday that benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will be reduced by 35% for November.

Roughly 23% of all households in the Visalia and Tulare areas rely on SNAP funds distributed by the CalFresh program. And the fallout is already being felt at the local food pantry. There has been a big jump in city residents seeking aid since the change in SNAP, said VEAC executive director Mary Jennings.

“With the current uncertainty around the SNAP program, we have seen our food requests increase,” she said. “In October, we served over 1,750 households, reaching 5,800 individuals, an increase of over 15% from the previous October, with much of our growth occurring in the last 10 days, when it became very public SNAP was not going to happen for the month of November.”

Before Jennings made her comment, a federal judge had already ordered the USDA to use reserve funds to cover at least some of the November SNAP benefits. The 35% reduction, however, had not yet been announced.

Foodbanks Struggling to Afford Food

In 2022, 126,486 people in Tulare County received SNAP benefits. While the state reports it does not have the funds to cover the federal shortfall, an allocation of $80 million will be sent to bolster foodbanks statewide. Members of the California National Guard will be deployed to assist distribution as the crisis worsens.

Meanwhile, the cost of acquiring food for the local pantries is going up while donations are falling off. VEAC relies on FoodLink Tulare County for USDA distributions and the Central California Foodbank for supplies, and both foodbank sources are also finding it increasingly difficult to provide low-cost foodstuffs.

“With the increase in clients served and no absolute confidence the crisis will be over anytime soon, even the foodbanks are struggling and are feeling the crunch in programs and donations, resulting in less products for our pantry,” Jennings said. “This means VEAC has to purchase fruits, vegetables, dairy and a good source of protein. This really puts a pinch on a tight budget.”

Council Says No to Helping Visalia Emergency Aid

With increasing demand for its services and less federal support, Councilmember Emmanual Soto asked for a future council discussion on the possibility of the city providing VEAC with a cash infusion to help close the gap caused by the failure of SNAP. The idea had strong support from the public.

“I don’t believe that there’s anyone in this room that believes we are not being negatively impacted by what is happening at the national level,” Visalia resident Maria Guillen told the council. “To not address this issue is irresponsible at best and cowardly at worst.”

Visalia resident Michelle Kenner appeared to imply members of the city council who support the Trump administration needed to reaffirm their commitment to the community by supporting VEAC financially.

“I was wondering if the city was going to be doing any big push, especially with that organization (VEAC), because of city council members who were at the Trump inauguration; that that may behove the council to really put a big push into that, to show support with the community and for the fact we don’t have SNAP anymore,” she said.

The council would eventually vote 3-2 not to discuss a donation to VEAC. Soto and Vice Mayor Liz Wynn provided the yes votes. Mayor Brett Taylor and council members Brian Poochigian and Steve Nelsen voted no.

City Officials Say Food Is a Federal Problem

Nelsen said providing funding to the VEAC or similar organizations is not the city’s job.

“I will not support this because I think it’s the purview of our federal government to take care of the people that elected them to office,” he said. “I understand the concern; I understand the compassion; but I think the drive needs to be driven to your local representative, what I mean is your senators and your congressmen in Washington, D.C.”

Congress, however, has recessed for the year. Its next regular session is two months away on January 3.

Councilmember Poochigian agreed that providing money to VEAC is a job for the feds. The city should not interfere, as it might be somehow unwise, he said.

“Federal issues are federal issues, and local issues are local issues, and we shouldn’t get involved in a federal issue,” Poochigian said. “I’ve always been consistent on that. I think it sets a dangerous precedent.”

He also thinks it’s up to federal representatives to solve VEAC’s funding shortage, though he would support sending a letter to Visalia’s federal representatives urging them to address the problem.

“I would say that I urge Congress to act,” Poochigian said. “This is what we put them to do, and they’re not there doing their job.”

Loss of SNAP Money Will Echo Through the Economy

Councilmember Soto, who requested the council discuss helping VEAC, said he’s worried the loss of SNAP money will have deep effects in a community where one in four people relies on the federal subsidy to feed themselves.

“It’s partial funding that’s being released on Wednesday. That means there’s still a gap,” he said. “With folks not receiving their full benefits, that has a ripple effect in the community. It affects grocery stores. It affects workers. It just goes on and on.”

Soto said he was hoping for a one-time contribution to VEAC from the city, not a permanent partnership.

“If we could help with anything, if the council is willing to give on top of what we already have in our discretionary funds, I would be very appreciative, and I’m sure many of the families in Visalia would too,” Soto said.

Earlier, Councilman Nelsen said he would not support Soto’s proposal because it would open the city to a flood of requests from other local agencies in need of financial help.

“I won’t support this because it opens up a can of worms for the city financially,” he said. “If we say yes to a given program, then how do you say no to another program and then another program?”

Vice Mayor Liz Wynn, a former executive director of VEAC, supported Soto’s request to aid the organization. She urged her fellow council members to donate their city discretionary funds to the VEAC. The city, she said, is facing a crisis that needs immediate attention.

“I will support Councilmember Soto, because I think it’s the right thing to do right now,” she said. “In two weeks or whatever this comes up next, the whole thing may be over. But I think it’s at least worth having a discussion.”

After the 3-2 no vote, it appears that discussion won’t be happening.

City’s Senior Meal Prices Not Increasing Yet

The cost of city-subsidized meals at the Visalia Senior Center will not increase through at least the early months of 2026. Beyond that, however, those who count on the daily meals could see the cost of the service more than double in price.

The city’s five-year contract with Sue Sa’s Creative Catering expired last year, and the city has been contracting with them on a month-to-month basis since. However, the company owner reportedly intends to leave the business. However, the city and the company have agreed to a six-month extension while a new caterer is found.

Due to the terms of the stopgap contract, the price of meals served at the Visalia Senior Center the city pays is going up, and the council was planning to pass the increase onto the seniors. Now, they’ve decided to reconsider the city’s contribution in order to keep the burden off the shoulders of the elderly.

The proposal considered on Tuesday – and ultimately put off to a future meeting – would have seen the per meal price jump from $4.50 to $10. The city’s Parks and Recreation Department, which oversees the program, proposed phasing in the price increase, going to $6 next month, then climbing to $7.75 in March 2026.

“I think people need to understand that when your costs go up, you have to do something to cover your costs, even though this is a subsidized program. Is it something we all wanted to see happen? The answer is no, but sometimes you’re dealt a hand and have to respond to it,” said Councilmember Nelsen. “Unfortunately, I think we have to support this. If we don’t support this, the whole program goes away.”

Patty Sturgill, an advocate for seniors, said she was particularly concerned about the price increases because at least half of the seniors she represents will not get their SNAP benefits. The city-sponsored meals provide them with a lifeline, she said.

“If they don’t have these regular meals, they are not able to get them somewhere else,” Sturgill said. “These are people who can only walk next door. My building is next to the senior center. I’m here to advocate for seniors as a whole, but my seniors are at risk, very much at risk of not having any kind of nutrition.”

Sturgill feared not having affordable meals served at the senior center would have deep impacts on her clients’ health beyond a lack of nutrition. The city-subsidized midday meals also allow them to gather and socialize, which is key to maintaining mental health.

“I don’t know what else to say. I’m afraid for them,” she said. “I don’t want them to be isolated, and I don’t want them to be hungry because they can’t afford it.

Ultimately, the council ultimately decided to table the proposed rate increases until a new catering company can be found. They also requisitioned funding to pay the higher cost of meals under the current six-month contract. A request for bids by new caters will be issued by the end of the year, said Parks and Rec director Jason Glick.