Download photos/video of Feeding San Diego here.
Download photos/video of the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank here.
Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank and Feeding San Diego each receive $1.5M in emergency funding from Prebys Foundation to strengthen region’s food security network
SAN DIEGO, CA – As historic federal cuts threaten access to food assistance for hundreds of thousands of San Diegans, the Prebys Foundation – in partnership with Feeding San Diego and the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank – today announced $3M in emergency funding to protect and strengthen the region’s food security network.
“When our community safety nets start to fray, as they are now, we must act quickly, and strategically,” said Prebys Foundation CEO Grant Oliphant. “Preventing hunger among our fellow San Diegans should be non-negotiable, along with sustaining a robust local network of food suppliers and farmers who can keep our neighbors from falling into hunger and malnutrition.”
With hundreds of thousands of residents at risk of losing food assistance, this investment provides immediate relief to organizations on the frontlines of hunger relief. Each $1.5 million grant will help expand emergency food distribution, support local farms, and ensure equitable access to nutritious food as federal resources diminish.
“Our community is very rural, and there are many of us relying on this food,” said Deborah Gonzales, Volunteer Site Lead at Feeding San Diego’s Mobile Pantry in Boulevard. “This is a community where kids really do go to bed hungry. Food distribution day is my favorite day and has made the struggle a lot less. The fresh produce in particular is amazing and something we would not otherwise have access to.”
“The San Diego Food Bank serves an average of 400,000 people each month across the county,” said San Diego Food Bank CEO Casey Castillo. “When public food benefits shrink, our community feels it immediately. We’re anticipating a 60% increase in the monthly meal gap — over seven million missed meals — at a time when federal food supplies are declining. This moment demands that we come together to ensure no one in San Diego goes hungry.”
“Feeding San Diego rescues and redistributes over 32 million pounds of food annually,” said Robert Kamensky, CEO of Feeding San Diego. “This emergency funding enables us to secure fresh, locally grown produce that would otherwise be out of reach and deliver it to families who need it most. It’s not only a lifeline for our community — it’s an investment in regional farms and the local food economy. Ensuring access to nutritious food is an essential social service that we can provide thanks to the support of the Prebys Foundation.”
San Diego County is projected to lose more than $300 million annually in government funding, including an estimated $200 million in new costs or cuts to CalFresh, California’s version of SNAP. The loss of federal food benefits not only deepens food insecurity, it also removes $260 million from the local economy, jeopardizing both access to food and the livelihoods of small farmers.
“When people buy or donate locally, it keeps the whole system alive,” said Ellee Igoe, Director of Operations, Foodshed Cooperative. “This support means we can keep growing healthy food right here in San Diego County and make sure it reaches the people who need it most. It’s not just about farms — it’s about neighbors feeding neighbors.”
The emergency investment will help offset these losses by providing immediate operational support to strengthen San Diego’s food-relief infrastructure and sustain Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) partnerships which connect local growers to community food programs.
The grants are part of United for San Diego, a joint philanthropic initiative by Prebys Foundation, Price Philanthropies, and San Diego Foundation, created to support local communities impacted by cuts to federal programs that provide housing, food, and healthcare.
“This is about coming together when our neighbors need us the most,” added Oliphant. “Through United for San Diego, we’re standing with partners who know how to mobilize in moments of crisis — strengthening food access today and building the foundation for a more resilient, equitable food system for the future.”
United for San Diego also calls on individual donors, companies, and philanthropic partners to join in this coordinated response by donating to the San Diego Unity Fund, helping ensure critical resources remain available for all San Diegans as federal disruptions persist. San Diegans can donate at SDFoundation.org/unity.
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About Feeding San Diego:
Established in 2007, Feeding San Diego is the leading hunger-relief and food rescue organization in San Diego County and the only Feeding America partner food bank in the region. The nonprofitFeeding San Diego provides more than 31 million meals every year to children, families, seniors, college students, military families, veterans, people facing homelessness, and other underserved populations. They distribute meals in partnership with more than 350 local charities, schools, faith communities, meal sites, and food pantries throughout the region. Last year, 90% percent of the food distributed by Feeding San Diego was rescued, allowing high-quality food to be redirected instead of going to waste. By diverting more than 32.6 million pounds of food from the landfill each year and using it to feed people facing hunger, Feeding San Diego helps avert 28,986 metric tons of CO2 from being emitted, protecting people and the planet. Learn more at feedingsandiego.org.
About the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank:
Founded in 1977, the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank is the largest hunger-relief organization in San Diego County. Serving as the region’s food safety net, the organization provides food to people in need, advocates for the hungry and educates the public about hunger-related issues. Through a network of direct service programs and more than 450 nonprofit partners, the Food Bank serves an average of 400,000 people every month. In fiscal year 2025, the organization distributed over 52 million pounds of food — equivalent to more than 43.3 million meals. Learn more at sandiegofoodbank.org and follow us @sdfoodbank.
