As volunteers moved in steady rhythm along a long conveyor line, taping, filling and stacking heavy cardboard boxes inside the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano’s Concord warehouse, the scale of the crisis was unmistakable. A sea of hands — students, retirees, parents with children and longtime community members — worked side-by-side to assemble emergency food boxes now being distributed across the county in response to the halted CalFresh benefits

Their work comes as the federal government shutdown entered its 37th day on Nov. 6, now the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. With the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program frozen and no CalFresh benefits issued this month, Contra Costa County has moved to implement emergency measures to help families bridge the gap.

On Tuesday, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors declared a local emergency and approved $21 million to issue temporary debit cards to eligible CalFresh recipients. Starting Nov. 10, residents enrolled in CalFresh — or those newly applying and deemed eligible — will be able to pick up prepaid debit cards at four county Employment and Human Services offices.

In the meantime, emergency food boxes began distribution Nov. 3 at the same locations. Unlike the debit cards, the boxes are available to any family in need, not just CalFresh enrollees. Each box weighs more than 40 pounds and contains shelf-stable staples such as pasta, rice, canned vegetables, oatmeal, beans and other essentials.

Distribution locations:

• 1305 MacDonald Ave., Richmond
• 151 Linus Pauling Dr., Hercules
• 400 Ellinwood Way, Pleasant Hill
• 4545 Delta Fair Blvd., Antioch

The Antioch site is located directly next to Los Medanos College, placing relief close to students and local families already navigating high food and housing costs. For those with any need for food, the FBCCS website has a map tool where the community can find free groceries or hot meals near them. You can find this resource here.

“We started receiving hundreds of calls the day the announcement was made,” said Caitlin Sly, CEO of the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano. “People are worried. People are scared about where their next meal is going to come from.”

Sly said the Food Bank has increased food purchasing, expanded supply to local partner sites and has seen a surge in volunteers willing to help. “For every dollar donated, we can provide enough food for two meals,” she said. “The community has really stepped up.”

Among the volunteers was Gary Morin, who has volunteered with the FBCCS since 2015 and is one of 22 volunteer ambassadors between the organization’s two warehouses. “Normally, we’re bagging produce,” he said, pausing as he sealed another food box. “Right now, we’re making these emergency boxes. It’s been nonstop.”

Others came to volunteer as part of school or service commitments, including Grace Lo and Precious Phol, first-year business majors at Diablo Valley College, who said they came both to help and to build experience. “It feels like the community is doing this together,” Lo said.

Outside the Antioch county office this week, cars lined the parking lot as staff rolled the heavy boxes to waiting recipients. Mahin Sohi, who received a box while visiting the office for unrelated business, said the timing could not be worse.

“Four things from Safeway is like $100,” Sohi said. “We are trying to get as little as we need right now because everything is so expensive. Some bread, some essentials and just see what happens.”

Just a few minutes from Los Medanos College, the St. Vincent de Paul Society’s thrift store pantry in Pittsburg has also seen a sharp increase in need since the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that SNAP benefits would be halted for the month of November.

“It’s been busy every day, and telling people I don’t have a lot of food right now hurts,” said Linda Bilbay, volunteer coordinator and food assistance lead. “We’re doing our best, but we can’t feed everybody.” St. Vincent’s also partners with Loaves and Fishes, which provides a free hot meal weekdays from 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. at 1415 Simpson Court in Pittsburg.

At Los Medanos College, the LMC Marketplace, which is directly supplied by FBCCS, has not yet seen a surge in demand but is preparing for one.

“We’ve received a lot of questions from students,” said Megela O’Hare, LMC Basic Needs Program coordinator. “Rising food costs are the biggest concern we’re hearing. We’ve adjusted our distribution to allow students to receive more items per visit, and we are purchasing extra food in case demand increases.”

The Marketplace will also continue its annual Friendsgiving distribution, providing holiday food bags and grocery gift cards, with support from student groups including Umoja, the Honors Program and Los Medanos College Associated Students

As the shutdown continues with no easy end in sight, local aid organizations are preparing for the situation to last.

“We don’t anticipate this slowing down anytime soon,” Sly said. “We are going to be here for as long as the community needs us.”