San Diego County has launched a yearlong food distribution program with the San Diego Food Bank and Feeding San Diego, starting with an event that served more than 500 people Saturday at the South Region Live Well Center in Chula Vista, according to the County News Center.

The program will host regular food distribution events at six county locations through August 2027. County staff will also be on-site at events to help residents enroll in benefits, answer questions and connect people with other resources.

County officials said the distribution locations were selected based on communities most at risk of losing benefits because of federal changes. The effort is part of the county's broader Safety Net Bridge program, which also includes a WorkReady Hub with 211 San Diego and outreach to help residents understand changes affecting CalFresh and Medi-Cal.

For Santee residents, the key takeaway is practical: anyone worried about food benefits, Medi-Cal eligibility or changing work requirements can call the county's Access and Customer Service Call Center at 1-866-262-9881, Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and choose option 6 for staff trained on CalFresh impacts and referrals. Residents can also call 2-1-1 for distribution schedule information.

The county Board of Supervisors approved $1 million for the food distribution program June 25. County officials said the larger Safety Net Bridge effort is designed to support about 93,500 people at risk of losing CalFresh benefits.