Kern County’s largest food bank is bracing for a major loss in resources that could leave thousands of local households without critical food assistance. The Community Action Partnership of Kern (CAPK) Food Bank Administrator, Kelly Lowery, warns that deep cuts to federal and state programs could lead to a one-third reduction in food distribution, affecting more than 5,000 families who depend on the service every month.
The cuts primarily impact the USDA’s Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), which provides essential food staples like eggs, milk, cheese, turkey, pork, and chicken. According to Lowery, these high-quality items will no longer be part of CAPK’s deliveries countywide.
“That means that what is coming will be far less,” Lowery said. “In total, it represents about a third of the total pounds we distribute from that program. If this is the direction that it’s going to look like in 2025, we may have to reduce service as a measure.”
To date, CAPK has already experienced the cancellation of 13 scheduled USDA deliveries. And, according to a press release sent out by CAPK, the TEFAP resources provided the county with 3.5 million pounds of food, valued at over $4.7 million in 2024.
Currently, CAPK serves approximately 17,000 households under the program. With projected reductions, Lowery estimates that at least 5,000 households could lose access to food assistance.
The scale of the cuts makes it nearly impossible for local efforts alone to compensate for the loss. While community food drives play an important role in supplementing supplies, they do not come close to matching the deficit.
“Our best food drive of the year will bring in approximately 30,000 pounds of food,” Lowery explained. “But the reduction in 2025 will be around 3.5 million pounds of food. That’s about $4.5 million in value.”
According to Lowery, raising those funds would be an enormous challenge, requiring more than the organization’s entire operating budget.
How the Community Can Help
Despite the grim outlook, Lowery encourages local businesses, organizations, and individuals to step up. CAPK is asking for donations through its foundation, as well as opportunities to present its case to local service organizations and church groups.
“Almost every sizable food distribution in Kern County originates through the CAPK Food Bank,” Lowery said. “So when we have a disruption or when we aren’t funded at the right level, it affects every other organization that does this work.”
The USDA’s decision affects multiple programs, including the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement and the Local Food for Schools Program, which have been instrumental in providing fresh, locally sourced food to communities. The termination of these programs not only impacts food banks but also adversely affects local farmers and suppliers who participated in these initiatives.
“A crisis is forming. The rise in food costs and overall inflation have resulted in lines here in Kern County that are more than double what they were just two years ago,” said CAPK Food Bank Administrator Kelly Lowery. “Now, resources that we count on to fight food insecurity are being withdrawn. Thousands of Kern County families will be affected by these cuts.”
A Message to Policymakers
Lowery has a clear message for state and federal leaders: Cuts to social programs create a ripple effect that ultimately burdens food banks.
“The CAPK Food Bank is the safety net,” he emphasized. “Our lines were already double what they were two years ago. Now they’re going to get even longer, and we’ll have fewer resources to provide.”
As families face increasing financial hardships, the food bank remains their last resort. Lowery is urging policymakers, business leaders, and community members to recognize the importance of maintaining and strengthening food assistance programs.
“Our representatives, our community leaders—everyone in positions of leadership—need to understand that a large segment of people rely on the food bank every single month,” Lowery said. “Now we’re going to have less to provide, and the lines are going to be even longer because of the downward pressure created by all these cuts. Even cuts to non-food bank programs create a situation where families find themselves in greater need—and when that happens, they end up here, at the food bank.”