Wilton Rancheria Donates $50,000 and 418 Turkeys to Food Bank Amid Shutdown Aftermath

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By Shaun Griswold

November 25, 2025

Chairman for the Wilton Rancheria, Jesus Tarango, has a duty to nourish the tribe’s relationships with the greater Sacramento County communities.

To mark the holiday season, Tarango announced a donation by Wilton Rancheria to the Elk Grove Food Bank Service in Elk Grove, CA. The food bank feeds more than 308,000 people each month, and last year served 33.2 million meals.

“Even with the shutdown ending, the ripple effects for families don’t disappear overnight,” Tarango said. “This donation is our commitment to helping the community stabilize, heal, and get back on its feet. We are proud to support our Elk Grove community and continue to be good neighbors.”

The 418 turkeys and $50,000 donated will support the Elk Grove food service that were strained by the federal government shutdown. The 43-day shutdown, the longest in U.S. history, disrupted food aid systems nationwide, hitting the most needy Americans. Unpaid balances to the state-run Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) led to a dispute that went to the Supreme Court, before Congress negotiated a federal budget bill to keep the government open until Jan. 30, 2026.

During the shutdown, tribes across the country utilized natural resources and enterprise revenue to boost food aid for citizens. In some places, that aid extended to outside communities.

In Sacramento County, Elk Grove Food Bank Services continue to see a significant increase in community need, which prompted the donations from Wilton Rancheria. Tribal members are primarily descendants of the “Eastern Miwok, which is comprised of the Bay Miwok, Plains Miwok, and Northern Sierra Miwok.” It counts more than 900 citizens, with a majority living on or near the rancheria tribal land in the Sacramento Valley.

The tribe runs Sky River Casino, which bought each employee a turkey for Thanksgiving and gave them the option to donate it to the Elk Grove Food Bank. That led to 418 turkeys that total 6608 pounds of meat for the food bank, Wilton Rancheria leaders said.

“The shutdown may be ending, but many families are still days or weeks away from receiving their benefits,” Elk Grove Food Bank Services Executive Director Marie Jachino said. “This support will allow us to bridge that gap and ensure no one goes hungry during the recovery period. Once again, Wilton Rancheria is stepping forward when the community needs it most.”

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