City of Hayward apologizes for Trump letter unwittingly distributed with food-assistance boxes

HAYWARD, Calif., Oct. 1, 2020— Several hundred boxes of food distributed today during the weekly City of Hayward No-Contact Food Distribution contained something they shouldn’t have: a letter on White House stationary containing language deemed to be political propaganda and carrying the signature of President Trump.  We apologize.

The boxes came to the City and food pantries across the country through the federal Coronavirus Food Assistance Program administered by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

According to news media reports, the presence of the letter inside the boxes came as a surprise to and has upset administrators, staff members and volunteers at nutrition-assistance centers across the country.  This also was the case at the Hayward No-Contact Food Distribution site at Chabot College today.

Upon discovery, each of the letters was removed from each of the remaining 35-pound boxes of produce, meat, eggs and other dairy products.  However, approximately 700 of the boxes were distributed prior to the discovery.

The letters were removed because it is inappropriate and a potential violation of law for public officials to use public resources for political purposes and to attempt to influence the outcome of an election.  That clearly was not the intent of the City of Hayward.  We can’t speak for the White House, Trump administration and the FDA.