To: Honorable Mayor and Members of City Council
From: Steve Potter, City Manager
Prepared By: Liz Habkirk, Assistant City Manager
TITLE:
Title
Discussion of Potential Backfill of Food Assistance Programs through the County of Napa
LABEL
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommendation
Discuss the potential backfill of food assistance programs impacted by the Federal Government shutdown and provide direction to staff.
Body
DISCUSSION:
The CalFresh program (known federally as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP) is a federally funded program that provides critical food assistance to approximately 6,600 households and approximately 10,700 County residents, the majority of which reside within the City of Napa.
The County of Napa recently committed funds to assist with an anticipated loss of CalFresh funding due to the Federal Government shutdown. The City Council, at their meeting on November 4, 2025, indicated a desire to help support the County of Napa and local food assistance providers to backfill the funding gap created by the shutdown and directed staff to return for a discussion of possible solutions.
As of the writing of this agenda item, the Federal Government has fulfilled the entirety of CalFresh funding for November 1-10, 2025, and Napa County officials anticipate that the remainder of funding for November will be provided. Additionally, staff is monitoring discussions at the Federal level where there may be progress on a vote to reopen and fund government operations for some period.
At the Council meeting on November 18, staff will provide Council with a verbal update of latest information from Napa County, the City’s Federal consultants, Merchant McIntyre, and any additional changes to anticipated funding for December 2025 and beyond for the CalFresh program. Council may then provide additional direction for future action.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS:
None. Future financial impacts from any direction received from Council would be provided as a part of future agenda item, as necessary.
CEQA:
The City Manager has determined that the Recommended Action described in this Agenda Report is not subject to CEQA, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15060 (c).
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
None.
NOTIFICATION:
None.