Health Equity & Social Justice

Due to the continuing government shutdown, SNAP (CalFresh) benefits will be halted for more than 270,000 Sacramento county residents who depend on the monthly aid to buy food. With no timeline for when the shutdown will end, local officials warn of a growing food crisis that could worsen poverty, strain the local economy, and push more residents toward homelessness.

Health care providers in San Francisco are taking note of a growing interest in acupuncture among Latinos. In January 2025, the Mission Neighborhood Health Center (MNHC) opened its first acupuncture clinic in the Mission District, offering free and sliding-scale services. Appointments are now booked almost two months in advance. Many are middle-aged Latinos working low-paying, labor intensive jobs and Acupuncture helps them manage workplace injuries and chronic pain from years of hard labor.