A catastrophic hunger crisis? California food banks are being flooded by families seeking help

Every two weeks, cars line up at The Hill Church in Vallejo for a drive-thru food distribution. While Whitney Houston songs play over a speaker, volunteers load 39 pounds of food into each trunk — canned tuna, eggs, potatoes and other staples. 

Elvira Santiago, a retired medical assistant living in senior housing, is particularly excited about the bag of apples. 

“We eat them every afternoon. And I’ll cook chicken adobo with the chicken and vegetables,” said Santiago, who visited the distribution Wednesday for the first time this month and expects...