Bay Area
School Lunch Could Be Slashed For Thousands of California Children Under Federal Proposal
Thousands of children in California would no longer qualify for free school lunches if a federal proposal to cut the number of food stamp recipients is finalized.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is asking for public comment on a proposal to restrict the number of families eligible for food stamps to only those with gross incomes of 130 percent of the federal poverty level (about $33,000 for a family of four) or less. Currently many states, including California, allow families with higher incomes (up to about $50,000 for a family of four) to enroll in the food stamp program if their childcare, housing and other eligible expenses bring their income down to about $25,000 or less.
Families who would no longer qualify for food stamps under the new rule will also lose their automatic eligibility for free school meals. Currently, families enrolled in food stamps are automatically eligible for free lunch, so they do not have to apply separately. If this change is approved, many families that no longer qualify for food stamps could still qualify for reduced-price meals at school, but they would have to submit paperwork to apply.
Confusion is likely to ensue.
Jared Call, managing policy advocate for California Food Policy Advocates, said schools are supposed to notify families when students no longer qualify automatically, but often the notices are not sent, or families misunderstand them or do not apply.
“If they’re cut off and keep getting those meals, they may end up with a bill that their parents don’t understand why or where it’s coming from,” Call said.
It’s not clear yet how many children in California would be affected. The USDA estimates that 3.1 million people nationwide would lose food stamps under the policy change. According to U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott(D-Va.), the USDA also estimates about 500,000 children would lose automatic eligibility for free school lunches, though the department did not include this estimate in the proposal.
About 2 million children in California are in families that receive food stamps. There are no estimates yet of how many of those might lose eligibility if the new rule is approved.
The administration says the change is necessary to prevent fraudulent applications for food assistance.
“Too often, states have misused this flexibility without restraint,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue in a press release announcing the proposal. “The American people expect their government to be fair, efficient and to have integrity — just as they do in their own homes, businesses and communities. That is why we are changing the rules, preventing abuse of a critical safety net system, so those who need food assistance the most are the only ones who receive it.”
Education experts and advocates for low-income families are concerned about how the change could affect children.
“The California Department of Education is very concerned about the Trump administration’s proposal,” wrote Scott Roark, a spokesman for the department, adding that the department is still analyzing the impact.
The proposal would also affect students at schools that serve free breakfast and lunch to all students, regardless of their household income. Those are schools in which 40 percent or more of students qualify for free lunch either because they are enrolled in a program like food stamps or because they are homeless, foster or migrant children. There are more than 3,000 schools in California that offer free meals to all students.
Call, of California Food Policy Advocates, also is concerned about what he called a “cascading effect” that could affect school funding if a large number of children lose their free lunch eligibility. Under the Local Control Funding Formula, schools receive extra funding for each student who qualifies for free or reduced-price school meals, as well as English learners, homeless students and foster children.
The Trump administration proposal is the latest in a series of attempts to reduce federal benefits for low-income people.
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Activism
Oakland Post: Week of March 4 – 10, 2026
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 4 – 10, 2026
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Activism
Oakland Post: Week of February 25 – March 3, 2026
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 25 – March 3, 2026
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Activism
Chase Oakland Community Center Hosts Alley-Oop Accelerator Building Community and Opportunity for Bay Area Entrepreneurs
Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.
By Carla Thomas
The Golden State Warriors and Chase bank hosted the third annual Alley-Oop Accelerator this month, an empowering eight-week program designed to help Bay Area entrepreneurs bring their visions for business to life.
The initiative kicked off on Feb. 12 at Chase’s Oakland Community Center on Broadway Street, welcoming 15 small business owners who joined a growing network of local innovators working to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.
At its core, the accelerator is designed to create an ecosystem of collaboration, where local entrepreneurs can learn from one another while accessing the resources of a global financial institution.
“This is our third year in a row working with the Golden State Warriors on the Alley-Oop Accelerator,” said Jaime Garcia, executive director of Chase’s Coaching for Impact team for the West Division. “We’ve already had 20-plus businesses graduate from the program, and we have 15 enrolled this year. The biggest thing about the program is really the community that’s built amongst the business owners — plus the exposure they’re able to get through Chase and the Golden State Warriors.”
According to Garcia, several graduates have gone on to receive vendor contracts with the Warriors and have gained broader recognition through collaborations with JPMorgan Chase.
“A lot of what Chase is trying to do,” Garcia added, “is bring businesses together because what they’ve asked for is an ecosystem, a network where they can connect, grow, and thrive organically.”
This year’s Alley-Oop Accelerator reflects that vision through its comprehensive curriculum and emphasis on practical learning. Participants explore the full spectrum of business essentials including financial management, marketing strategy, and legal compliance, while also preparing for real-world experiences such as pop-up market events.
Each entrepreneur benefits from one-on-one mentoring sessions through Chase’s Coaching for Impact program, which provides complimentary, personalized business consulting.
Garcia described the impact this hands-on approach has had on local small business owners. He recalled one candlemaker, who, after participating in the program, was invited to provide candles as gifts at Chase events.
“We were able to help give that business exposure,” he explained. “But then our team also worked with them on how to access capital to buy inventory and manage operations once those orders started coming in. It’s about preparation. When a hiccup happens, are you ready to handle it?”
The Coaching for Impact initiative, which launched in 2020 in just four cities, has since expanded to 46 nationwide.
“Every business is different,” Garcia said. “That’s why personal coaching matters so much. It’s life-changing.”
Participants in the 2026 program will each receive a $2,500 stipend, funding that Garcia said can make an outsized difference. “It’s amazing what some people can do with just $2,500,” he noted. “It sounds small, but it goes a long way when you have a plan for how to use it.”
For Chase and the Warriors, the Alley-Oop Accelerator represents more than an educational initiative, it’s a pathway to empowerment and economic inclusion. The program continues to foster lasting relationships among the entrepreneurs who, as Garcia put it, “build each other up” through shared growth and opportunity.
“Starting a business is never easy, but with the right support, it becomes possible, and even exhilarating,” said Oscar Lopez, the senior business consultant for Chase in Oakland.
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