Caring For Community Through Food Assistance

In times of crisis, people often need someone to talk to. For Erika Murdoch, listening is just part of the job.

Erika, who is in her 40s, has worked for California’s Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (SFBFS), an AARP Foundation grantee, for 13 years. Her official role is helping eligible applicants access benefits through CalFresh, the state’s version of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps). Unofficially, though, Erika serves as a counselor to those who find themselves in difficult circumstances.

“Every day, I hear ‘I never thought I would have to ask for help,’” says Erika. Interacting with those seeking food assistance can be delicate. “People come in who grew up in the 1950s and ’60s,” she explains. “They remember how embarrassed their parents were about using paper food stamps because everyone in the grocery line could see. It can be hard to get past that.” 

Erika started as a volunteer for SFBFS after leaving a job in San Francisco and moving closer to her family. When a full-time job opened up, it turned out to be a perfect fit. “I’ve always worked jobs that involved making sure people have what they need,” says Erika, who worked in retail, in a spa, and as a nanny. “Easing stress about putting food on the table is another way to care for people.”

Each of the four CalFresh outreach coordinators in Erika’s office handles 20-25 calls per day from residents in need. “We hear from young people, old people, single people, families, saying, ‘I don’t know how I’m going to make ends meet,’ ‘I lost my job,’ or ‘I don’t have enough money for food.’ It’s constant, unfortunately.”

Unlocking CalFresh Benefits

Part of Erika’s effectiveness is due to her extensive knowledge of a system that can be bureaucratic and intimidating. “People think it’s scary because you have to divulge personal and financial information,” she says. 

Many CalFresh recipients don’t realize how many expenses they can report in order to increase their benefits, such as utilities and out-of-pocket medical expenses. It takes an expert like Erika to walk them through it, helping them track down and upload documents and speaking to the Sacramento County Department of Human Assistance on their behalf. 

Erika says an essential element to this type of work is trust — in both her and the organization, which has been a fixture in the community for nearly 50 years. She builds that trust through consistency and kindness. “When I help someone, I give them the best service I can, the kind I’d want to receive,” she says. “I go through the whole process with them, from their first call until they’ve been approved and have their card.”

That’s what happened with Tom McSpedden, an ex-trucker who called SFBFS looking for help when his emergency SNAP increase ended. “Erika found a way to help me survive,” he says. Learn how Tom McSpedden got more benefits as a CalFresh recipient through Erika's help.

Working with people who are at a low point can take an emotional toll, but Erika says the ability to have a vital impact on her community keeps her going. 

“Our goal is to help lift people up and move them towards financial independence,” she says. “When people trust that you’re going to help them, you can really make a difference in their lives.”

Learn more about how AARP Foundation Grants Program helps older adults to secure the essentials. Meet more community heroes like Erika. 

Read more stories about how our programs have helped people find hope, and about the volunteers who give so much of themselves to help others.