Redlands, CA -- On Jan. 8, the City of Redlands took an important step toward strengthening community support by convening the first meeting of its newly formed Food Security Task Force. City leaders and local partners gathered with a shared commitment: making sure Redlands families — especially children — have reliable access to food during a time of rising costs and reduced nutrition benefits.
The task force was created in November 2025, after the Redlands City Council unanimously approved a Food Security and Child Nutrition Support Initiative, introduced by Council Member Denise Davis. Since then, local food providers have reported a significant increase in need. According to U.S. Census data, about 9.1% of Redlands residents live in poverty, and organizations say they are now serving three to four times as many families and single adults seeking assistance. With grocery gift card and utility assistance programs nearing their end, the urgency to act has grown.
Homeless Solutions Coordinator David Rabindranath said the city began by listening directly to those on the front lines.
“We were reaching out to some of the big food service providers in the city just to receive information from those community partners to see, when the SNAP cut happened, what the impact was to the local community,” Rabindranath said. “A lot of them did tell us that they saw triple to quadruple families in the area and single adults reaching out for food assistance.”
The meeting brought together Homeless Solutions Coordinator, David Rabindranath; Redlands Recreation Supervisor, Dave Jaffe; Assistant City Manager, Chris Boatman; and community partners, such as the Church of Religious Science, Family Services Association of Redlands, the Salvation Army, Stronger Together Now, The Blessing Center, the Redlands Charitable Resource Coalition, and the Riverside Ghanaian Seventh-day Adventist Church. While some invited groups were unable to attend, the collaboration marked a strong beginning.
Leaders emphasized that the city can help connect the dots — serving as a central hub to amplify resources already in place.
“Bringing everyone together in one spot and having us take the lead in doing so could lead to a lot of good things going forward,” Boatman said.
Council Member Denise Davis stressed the importance of keeping children and families at the forefront of the effort.
“I really do want us to have an emphasis on children — obviously everyone, but also those families in need,” Davis said, noting that funding for the city’s grocery gift card and utility assistance programs is coming to a close. “I think we are going to see a lot of families in our community hurting more than they have before.”
The task force also connected with the Redlands Unified School District, which provides free breakfast and lunch during the school year - but faces challenges in maintaining support during the summer months. Members discussed expanding awareness of local food resources through social media, workshops and community groups, as well as creating clearer access points at city facilities so residents can more easily find help.
Council Member Paul Barich suggested exploring donation strategies in partnership with the Redlands Chamber of Commerce, while Mayor Mario Saucedo highlighted the power of community involvement.
“There is a lot of opportunity here if we just let the community know,” Mayor Mario Saucedo said. He also noted that the council should remain mindful of not stretching city staff too thin and focus on uplifting the resources that are currently in place.
The task force will meet bi-monthly to refine strategies, identify those most in need and coordinate meaningful solutions. As the work continues, the message is clear: when Redlands comes together, it can rise to meet challenges and ensure no neighbor is left behind.