One in nine working-age veterans experience food security in America. Zoom in on ex-servicewomen and aged veterans, and the problem appears more severe.
“Then it gets even worse when you start to bake in some of the other stuff,” Michael Hammons, the master mason at the San Luis Obispo King David’s Masonic Lodge, said. “Like we all know about PTSD. We know there’s a significant number of veterans that end up being homeless because they have problems transitioning. … It’s also an issue with active duty too.”
With SLO County losing out on almost $6 million in CalFresh benefits because of last year’s federal government shutdown, the local Masonic Lodge and Post 66 of the American Legion are sponsoring a Memorial Day barbecue to feed veterans.
Community members are welcome to join the program at 11 a.m. on May 25 in the parking lot between the American Legion building and the Veterans Memorial Building at 801 Grand Ave. in SLO. They will also fundraise for food assistance for veterans during the event.
“The donations are specifically to populate the American Legion Food Bank so that they can hand out throughout the year, in conjunction with the other food banks here in SLO County like the SLO Veterans Services and the SLO Food Bank,” Hammons said.
The Masonic Lodge and American Legion have a history of showing up for the community. The Masonic Lodge frequently hosts appreciation dinners for first responders and law enforcement, organizes blood drives, donates books to the county library to establish a dedicated Masonic section, and sponsors events at local schools, among other charitable ventures.
During the first government shutdown, according to Post 66 Commander Yvonne Hampton, the veterans’ organization provided more than $3,000 in food cards to personnel at Camp Roberts and Camp SLO.
American Legion also donated food to Cal Poly’s Center for Military-Connected Students, the SLO Veterans Affairs Clinic, and the SLO Vet Center.
Post 66 Executive Officer David Glidden told New Times he’s always struck by what he witnesses on his grocery runs at Vandenberg Space Force Base in Lompoc.
“There’s a place that they check out where they ask you to buy a bag of food for active-duty personnel because E3s—which would be a private first class and below—if they have a family, qualify for food stamps,” he said. “It’s one of the sad realities of being in the military.”
‘There’s a place that they check out where they ask you to buy a bag of food for active-duty personnel because E3s—which would be a private first class and below—if they have a family, qualify for food stamps. It’s one of the sad realities of being in the military.’
—David Glidden, American Legion Post 66 executive officer
Having served in the military for 26 years, Glidden remembers the struggle of making ends meet as a private until promotions to higher ranks pulled him out of poverty. He added that the government shutdown influenced the American Legion stepping in to help veterans through the Memorial Day barbecue.
“We’re trying to help all we can,” he said. “The Coast Guard is not part of our military, but they are brothers in arms, and they don’t get paid when there’s a shutdown.”
Donations throughout the year help veterans. Funds can be mailed to the post at 1661 Mill St. as cash or checks. Donors must include a note specifying what the money is for.
According to Masonic Lodge Master Robert Sachs, the choice was clear for members when they had to pick a cause to back during the annual spring philanthropy drive.
“That’s when Mike Hammons approached me,” Sachs said. “We were looking at a project especially as this is the 250th year [of the United States]. We wanted to do something which would honor veterans. So, we initiated something which is beyond our regular philanthropy.”
Fast fact
• For the second year in a row, Nipomo High School won the national Career Choices Silver Medal for excellence in academic innovation. The school won the award for incorporating an online program called my10yearplan.com into its curriculum that helps students build a multi-year approach to career readiness. They can revisit and refine their plans throughout their time in high school. ∆
Reach Staff Writer Bulbul Rajagopal at brajagopal@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in May 21-28, 2026.