Voter Resources, CalFresh Updates, and Community Events
Dear Neighbor,
As we hit one month of the federal government shutdown, more and more people in Senate District 33 are feeling the impacts. My office is available to provide information and resources during this challenging time – keep reading for further updates. Despite the difficulties at the federal level, my team and I are excited to gather with the community at numerous events throughout the fall. Even in the face of adversity, Senate District 33 is stronger together!
Voter Resources
As Election Day approaches on November 4th, I encourage all voters to take advantage of available resources to ensure their voices are heard. While the voter registration deadline was October 20th, eligible citizens are still able to complete Same Day Voter Registration until Election Day. Find out more information about Same Day Voter Registration here. The California Secretary of State offers trusted tools to help you check your registration status, find your polling place or ballot dropbox, track your ballot, and get information about upcoming elections and deadlines. Make sure to return your ballot via mail or to a dropbox or vote in-person by November 4th.
Working Together to Keep Our Community Clean
Team Gonzalez and Caltrans are joined by volunteers at the Paramount Cleanup
I was thrilled to partner with Caltrans and the City of Paramount to host a community clean-up of the 105 freeway on and off ramp. With over 60 volunteers including several local non-profits, we came together as a community to show Paramount pride and help keep California clean.
Lynwood Open Spaces and Community Programs
Senator Gonzalez joins Mayor Rita Soto, Councilmember Lorraine Avila Moore and City staff on a tour of Lynwood
I was honored to join Mayor Rita Soto, Councilmember Lorraine Avila Moore, and representatives from the City of Lynwood to learn more about Lynwood’s recreational spaces, local housing initiatives, and upcoming economic opportunities for small businesses and workforce development in the region.
Supporting our Veterans
Senator Gonzalez tours U.S. Vets in West Long Beach on October 8th.
It was a pleasure to join U.S. VETS at their Long Beach location to learn more about the programming and services they offer to our veterans. Since opening in 1999, U.S. VETS Long Beach has served more than 35,000 veterans in the Long Beach area by providing mental health assessments, permanent housing and job placements, and warm meals. Thank you to U.S. VETS Long Beach for serving those who served!
The Ongoing Federal Shutdown and CalFresh Benefits
Due to the ongoing federal shutdown, CalFresh benefits that would have been available beginning November 1st for November 2025 will be delayed. These delays will have serious impacts for the 5.5 million Californians – including 160,000 people in Senate District 33 – who rely on this program. Beneficiaries can continue to use their EBT cards into November if they have unused CalFresh benefits, and grocers can continue accepting EBT cards. The California Department of Social Services will continue updating their FAQ page with information on how the federal shutdown is impacting CalFresh. Please note that in addition to the impacts on CalFresh, the California Food Assistance Program will face the same delays.
On October 28th, Governor Newsom, Attorney General Bonta, and California Health & Human Services Secretary Kim Johnson announced new litigation against the federal administration for withholding the SNAP benefits that fund CalFresh. For updates on this lawsuit and other questions or concerns relating to the federal shutdown, my Shutdown FAQs page will be updated regularly as more information becomes available.
I encourage all who rely on CalFresh or the California Food Assistance Program to seek support from local food banks and community organizations. To support food banks, Governor Newsom has fast-tracked $80 million of budget funding and deployed California Volunteers and the California National Guard to assist with food bank operations. Please visit my website for a list of food banks and food bank locator tools in and around Senate District 33.
At this time, WIC benefits and CalWORKS benefits are anticipated to be available as usual for November 2025.
Upcoming Events, Resources & More
Visit our resource corner for information local Halloween and Día De Los Muertos events, Halloween safety tips, and voter information.
As always, if you need any other information or assistance, don't hesitate to get in touch with my office at (562) 256-7921 or send us a message here.
Sincerely,
Lena Gonzalez
33rd State Senate District