As concerned Costa Mesa residents, volunteers and community members, we are calling on Someone Cares Soup Kitchen to return the $50,000 originally intended to support the Costa Mesa Mutual Aid Food Box delivery program so the funds can be reallocated directly to Costa Mesa Mutual Aid, where they were understood and intended to go in the first place.

Earlier this year, the Costa Mesa City Council approved emergency relief funding intended to support families impacted by immigration enforcement activity and economic hardship in the community. At the time, Costa Mesa Mutual Aid volunteers had already been organizing and delivering food boxes to affected families throughout the city, many of whom were afraid to leave their homes or were experiencing financial instability. Community members rallied behind this effort, believing the funding would directly strengthen and expand the existing Costa Mesa Mutual Aid Food Box delivery program. 

These funds were meant to provide emergency food assistance to vulnerable Costa Mesa residents, including low-income families, immigrant households, seniors and individuals facing hardship. The Costa Mesa Mutual Aid Food Box delivery program has served as a critical lifeline for community members who rely on grocery deliveries and direct support to meet basic needs during times of crisis.

Volunteers and residents dedicated significant time, labor and community resources to rally for this funding, believing the money would directly support Costa Mesa Mutual Aid’s food distribution work. Instead, confusion and concerns surrounding how the funds were handled have damaged trust within the community and jeopardized confidence in future aid efforts.

At the same time, Someone Cares Soup Kitchen already receives substantial annual funding and institutional support through grants, donations and other public contributions while serving as an established nonprofit organization in Costa Mesa. Costa Mesa Mutual Aid, by comparison, operates primarily through grassroots volunteer labor and community donations while directly organizing neighborhood-based food delivery efforts. Many residents therefore believe these funds should be returned and redirected to the grassroots program they were originally intended to support.

We believe the most responsible and transparent path forward is for Someone Cares Soup Kitchen to return the $50,000 to the City of Costa Mesa so it can be properly reallocated to Costa Mesa Mutual Aid and used for the direct community support it was originally intended to provide.

This request is not about division between organizations — it is about accountability, transparency and ensuring public resources are used in alignment with the purpose communicated to the community. Residents deserve confidence that funds intended for mutual aid and emergency food support are reaching the people and programs they were meant to serve.

Costa Mesa families continue to need food assistance and direct community support. Returning these funds would help restore public trust and ensure that vital services can continue to reach vulnerable residents without further disruption.

We urge city leaders and Someone Cares Soup Kitchen to work together to correct this issue by returning the funds and ensuring they are redirected to Costa Mesa Mutual Aid for immediate community use.

Please join us in calling for accountability, transparency and the proper restoration of these funds to the community program they were intended to support.

Read the LAist article covering the issue here: https://laist.com/brief/news/politics/costa-mesa-orange-county-funding-families-ice-raids