In the desert of San Bernardino County, nestled among dry lake beds and industrial facilities, lies the small town of Trona. Known for its dirt football field and close-knit neighborhoods, Trona faces a pressing issue familiar to many communities across the Inland Empire: food insecurity.
The nearest grocery store is about 20 miles away in neighboring Kern County, making fresh food nearly unreachable for residents without transportation. Instead, fresh fruits and vegetables are available only through monthly food distributions organized by Inland Empire Health Plan. This monthly distribution in Trona is part of IEHP’s initiative to combat food insecurity throughout the region. With nearly two dozen distributions across Riverside and San Bernardino counties, IEHP aims to ensure nutritious food reaches the areas with the highest need.
“Wherever I go in the Inland Empire, food access is often the top issue facing communities,” said Cesar Armendariz, senior director of Community Health at IEHP. “The need grew during the pandemic and rising grocery prices have made healthy food unaffordable for many working residents.”
Trona is not alone; food insecurity affects both rural and urban communities across the Inland Empire. San Bernardino County data indicates that nearly 11% of residents in the Riverside-San Bernardino metro area experience food insecurity — defined as not having access to enough food for a healthy lifestyle. Alarmingly, one in six children in San Bernardino County faces hunger, while one in seven in Riverside County.
Food insecurity stems not only from limited financial resources and food affordRiverside ability but also from limited access to healthy options, particularly in designated food deserts. These areas, often found in low-income neighborhoods, have a high concentration of liquor stores, convenience stores and fast-food restaurants that primarily offer ultra-processed foods.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines a food desert as a region where at least 33% of residents live more than one mile from a grocery store in urban areas or more than 10 miles in rural settings.
Research makes clear the connection between food insecurity and poor health outcomes. Individuals deprived of healthy, nutrient-rich options face heightened risks of chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. For children, inadequate access to nutritious foods can hamper educational performance and success, extending the impact of food deserts beyond individual physical health to overall community well-being.
Many working families are often forced to make difficult choices between essentials like food, housing and health care, perpetuating health disparities in the region. Amid these challenges, community-based organizations work to improve food access. Alongside IEHP, local nonprofits are dedicated to feeding families and also to providing resources and tools to establish healthier eating habits.
FIND Food Bank, part of the Feeding America network, distributes more than 20 million pounds of food each year through more than a hundred local food pantries and mobile markets throughout the Coachella Valley.
“FIND Food Bank is addressing food insecurity across the Coachella Valley with targeted, community-driven solutions that meet people where they are,” said Lorena Marroquin, vice president of Community Impact at FIND Food Bank. “We serve over 125,000 people monthly across a vast 6,000-square-mile region, including many rural and remote communities where traditional food access is limited.”
Their neighboring sister food bank, Feeding America Riverside and San Bernardino, addresses the broad food needs in the two counties. Operating under five focus pillars, Feeding America Riverside and San Bernardino hosts 12 hunger relief programs that cater to various demographics, including veterans, seniors and school-aged children.
Both organizations, however, along with many others in the social services sector, are concerned about the cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program included in the signed budget reconciliation bill, known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” SNAP, once referred to as food stamps, is critical to California’s CalFresh program, which helps more than 2.6 million households statewide.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that this legislation could reduce federal SNAP funding by $186 billion by 2034 — around 20% — the largest cut in the program’s history. The reductions stem from work requirements and shifting costs from the federal government to states, along with the elimination of SNAP-ED, which offers free health education to SNAP participants.
For many low-income working families, SNAP is their first line of defense against hunger. When SNAP benefits are reduced, people turn to food banks, said Feeding America Riverside and San Bernardino CEO Carolyn Fajardo, who is concerned about the shift in federal policy and the effects it will have in the region.
“These programs are lifelines for millions of individuals and families. Any reductions would make it significantly harder for people to access the support they need,” Fajardo said. “As a result, food banks like ours will face even greater demand, all while operating with fewer resources.”
As we work to build a strong, healthy future for the Inland Empire region, ensuring all residents have access to affordable, nutritious food is essential. Whether in Trona, San Bernardino, Indio, or Moreno Valley, food is a central ingredient for healthy families and healthy communities.
If you’re interested in finding ways to support those facing food insecurity, we encourage you to visit feedingamericaie.org or findfoodbank.org.