San Diego County plans to double its Safety Net Bridge Food Distribution sites, adding six new locations this winter, the county said Oct. 15, 2026.

The county named anticipated new sites in Lemon Grove, Mountain Empire, National City, San Ysidro and Southeastern San Diego; additional locations are under discussion for 2027. The program is operated with the San Diego Food Bank and Feeding San Diego and was expanded after county staff reviewed real-time data showing rising demand.

Between Aug. 8 and Oct. 10 the county said the program served more than 2,400 households across 16 events; officials said that activity underscored ongoing need and the value of bringing services into neighborhoods.

Several distribution sites now combine food with other supports, including vaccinations, behavioral health connections, housing resources and services for seniors and families; the county said that co-location makes it easier for residents to get multiple types of help in one visit.

The expansion comes as federal benefits reductions affect local residents; the county said that since June about 2,200 people in San Diego County lost food benefits because of re-implemented federal work requirements. The county said more than 37,000 people were up for renewal in the same period; nearly 8,000 did not complete renewal paperwork and just over 1,500 non-citizens were discontinued because of new federal eligibility rules or incomplete renewals.

The county said the Safety Net Bridge Program is one of several efforts to help residents navigate federal benefit changes. The county said additional resources are available at its Federal Impacts Assistance Hub.

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County of San Diego

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