California service officials urge volunteering as SNAP delays leave about 5.5 million without benefits

Camp Radio News reported that the state office of service and community engagement urged Californians to volunteer at and donate to food banks after federal food assistance was delayed for about 5.5 million people during the federal government shutdown, Camp Radio News host Steve Milne said.

California chief service officer Josh Friday said the situation was dire and called for public help. "The the surge is real. The the strain on our communities is real, and it's why we're stepping up. It's why the governor deployed the the National Guard and the California Service Corps, and it's why we're calling on Californians to step up for each other as well," Josh Friday said.

Milne said two judges have ruled the federal government needs to use contingency funds to restart Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. "Yesterday, President Trump said his administration would restart food assistance, but that its contingency fund would cover only half the amount needed," Milne said.

The report framed the state appeal as an urgent request for volunteers and donations to food banks while federal benefits were being sorted. The segment did not specify which food banks, exact volunteer opportunities or contact information for residents. It also did not provide the dates of the court rulings or further details about the scope of the National Guard or California Service Corps deployments.

State officials and service organizations asking for volunteer time and donations typically provide coordination through county social service agencies and local food-bank networks; that detail was not specified in the segment.