For over a year, families visiting loved ones at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) Sacramento – A Yard have faced a serious and ongoing hardship: the complete lack of food availability in the visitation area. The absence of vending machines or any accessible meal options has deeply impacted families especially children who often go hungry for hours or are unable to visit at all due to these conditions.

This issue is even more urgent now as we enter the summer months. Higher temperatures and longer wait times make access to food and hydration not just a matter of comfort, but of basic health and safety. Children and elderly family members are especially vulnerable in these conditions.

I have a personal stake in this matter. My loved one is currently housed in A Yard, and every visit with him is shadowed by the knowledge that our child may have to endure long hours without a meal. The emotional toll of watching children struggle through visits because they are hungry is heartbreaking and entirely preventable.

Despite repeated outreach, including direct contact with the Department of Rehabilitation, families have only received vague answers and no clear timeline for when food services will be restored. This lack of communication and accountability is unacceptable.

Providing food access during visitation is not a luxury it is a necessity. Installing and maintaining vending machines is a simple, immediate solution that would allow children and families to enjoy meaningful time together without the added burden of hunger and discomfort.

According to the Public Policy Institute of California, maintaining strong family connections is a key factor in supporting the rehabilitation and successful reintegration of incarcerated individuals. Visitation is proven to improve mental health and reduce recidivism but these benefits are undermined when basic needs like food are ignored.

I urge CDCR officials and local decision makers in New Folsom to take immediate action. Restore food access for A Yard visitation by installing well stocked vending machines. Ensure that no child goes hungry, especially during the hottest months of the year, and no family is forced to choose between nourishment and connection.

Please support this cause and sign the petition to bring about the change our families desperately need.