The U.S. has recently faced a government shutdown that started October 1st, 2025, and ended November 10th due to failure to pass appropriation legislation. This shutdown strongly affected air traffic control, law enforcement, and emergency care, but a main concern was for the families who rely on EBT and food pantries to feed themselves.
Ynez, a local Elementary School in Monterey Park, runs a food drive that was started during the pandemic when people were in need the most. Ynez’s food drive continues to serve approximately 4,000 families weekly, providing not only food but also essential hygiene supplies. However, challenges remain, particularly regarding Ms. Scorcia’s food bank in Ynez, which often faces shortages in food supply. Ms. Scorcia, the project manager for Alhambra Unified and Alhambra Teachers Association food pantry, is a dedicated volunteer for the food bank. Scorcia shared a heartwarming story about her motivation for giving back. She emphasizes the importance of being mindful of your own community, as any family can experience hunger. Through her work, she highlights the profound impact that caring individuals can have on the lives of others, demonstrating that even small acts of kindness can make a difference.
Scorcia explains that during the shutdown, instead of relying on EBT or CalFresh, families in need only had generosity to hold onto. Families weren’t getting their supplemental income, were struggling to pay their rent and gas, and were still trying to find food just to get through the day. Scorcia shares she has seen undocumented families in her school community that aren’t comfortable to go into the food banks, and even if they were, they are unable to get the food due to lack of identification. Because of this, their pantry offers delivery instead.
“The fear is that if I come out in public, then somebody may take my family members, whether I am undocumented or not, just because of the language I speak or the color of my skin, they could take us.”
Scorcia started the delivery and food drive out of the union building to help these individuals, as it doesn’t matter your race or income, if you are in need of food then you are inclined to have it. “My goal with the food pantry was to never have it kept in little stations somewhere else” Scorcia wanted it to reach everyone, and that is exactly what it did.
Her main concern for the food bank is always not having enough food. “Just in one week, we’ve reached over 400 families.”
The food bank has sometimes received grants, but almost all of the work done is voluntary. They always need volunteers, and she has noticed more volunteers getting involved recently which has helped immensely. “There’s a lot that you can do, and just get rid of the stigma of giving food and receiving because if you have the ability to get something, it’s okay, it’s not meaning that you’re less than.” She also shares that they always need donations. The food donated never has to be a lot, but if you ever have extra food then anything counts. The most food that they receive is donations from communities and schools, but the amount they get is never consistent. There is currently an increasing amount of donations due to the holiday season, but after the holidays, pantries struggle a lot.
According to the California Association of Food Banks, approximately 5.4 million people in California face food insecurity, and 1.4 million of those people are children. Scorcia said, “I think the main message is that hunger doesn’t care how much money you make. It doesn’t care what kind of job you have. We need to be mindful that our friends, our classmates, and even our colleagues may not have enough food on their shelves, and we need to step up.”
The government shutdown increased the need at food banks, especially ones that were already struggling, causing low income families to face uncertainty on where their next meal will come from. This month, SNAP benefits will be significantly delayed. If you know someone who does not have sufficient access to nutritious meals, reach out to them privately and provide them with the right resources. You may reach out to the Tzu Chi Foundation to pick up non-perishables and distribute it to food pantries.
To receive resources, donate, or volunteer, check out The Alhambra Teachers Association (ATA) Food Pantry at 3030 W. Main Street, Alhambra, CA, and visit the AUSD events page or ATA Facebook page for the updated schedule.
