NORTH COAST, Calif. — Sen. Mike McGuire will host a virtual town hall next week to discuss issues related to hunger on the North Coast.

The town hall will take place beginning at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 16.

Watch the town hall live here or on Facebook.

McGuire said the town hall will include Allison Goodwin, the president and CEO of Redwood Empire Food Bank; Carly Robbins, executive director at Food for People in Humboldt County; along with Suzanne Morales, President of the California School Nutrition Association. 

McGuire said his expert panelists will address the unprecedented challenges of ensuring access to healthy food in these times, discuss federal funding cuts to food assistance programs and how food banks and public schools are rallying for the most vulnerable kids, families and seniors, and break down how California is fighting back to support food banks and keep universal free meals served in all of California's TK-12 public schools. 

McGuire said the state’s leadership is doubling down on its efforts to make life more affordable for residents. However, there are headwinds on the horizon due to significant federal cuts to food assistance programs. 

More than $187 billion in federal SNAP food benefits have been cut nationwide resulting in a $3 billion to $5 billion cut to California annually. This means food banks across the state are in crisis mode.

RSVP and ask a question for the town hall presenters by clicking here.