Thompson Delivers Over $2.2 Million for Yolo County Community Projects

Yolo County, CA – Today, Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-04) announced that three projects in Yolo County will receive a total of $2,225,000 in community funding from Rep. Thompson’s community project funding requests. Rep. Thompson secured $13,317,000 total for projects in California’s Fourth District in Fiscal Year (FY) 2026.

“These investments are about access: to transportation, education, and food,” said Thompson. “The over $2 million in funding secured for Yolo County will strengthen our community and ensure more residents can get where they need to go, learn valuable skills, and put food on the table.”

"The City of Davis is deeply appreciative of Representative Thompson's success in securing much-needed federal funding,” said Davis Mayor Donna Neville. “This $1,000,000 will be used to modernize the historic Davis Amtrak Station by improving access between the Amtrak station and the Olive Drive neighborhood and is an important part of closing the project’s funding gap.”

“This funding is a big win for our agriculture program, which is one of the strongest Career Technical Education pathways in the region,” said Rody Boonchouy, Superintendent of Winters Joint Unified School District. “It truly makes a difference in students’ lives, giving them real skills and real opportunities. The support from our community was incredible, with dozens of letters backing the grant. These dollars will help us make much-needed upgrades to a building that’s been serving students for more than 50 years, and it’s exciting to finally give our ag classrooms the improvements they deserve.” 

“As affordability challenges continue to impact families across Yolo County, this generous gift of a Mobile Food Pantry Truck from Congressman Thompson arrives at a vital moment,” said Karen Baker, Executive Director of the Yolo Food Bank. “This vehicle will ensure our rural neighbors have reliable access to fresh, nutritious food through a seamless distribution process.”

The projects are:

• $1,000,000 for the Amtrak Depot/Olive Drive Connection Project
• $850,00 for the Winters Joint Unified School District Agriculture Site Modernization and Deferred Maintenance Project
• $375,000 for the Yolo Food Bank Mobile Food Pantry Project

Background on these projects can be found below. 

Amtrak Depot / Olive Drive Connection Project: $1 million in funding was secured for this project to construct a pedestrian and bicycle connection from Olive Drive to the Davis Amtrak Station. Amtrak is currently developing an undercrossing connecting its ADA improvement project at the station, and this funding would connect the Amtrak Depot to Olive Drive. The connection will provide residents of Olive Drive the ability to walk and bike downtown, access basic needs and social services in other parts of the city, and utilize Amtrak and bus options. It will also improve public safety by providing an alternate route that makes it safer and easier to cross Olive Drive and South Davis than the busy Olive Drive/Richards Boulevard intersection.

Winters Unified School District Agriculture Site Modernization and Deferred Maintenance Project: Provides $850,000 to the Winters Joint Unified School District to complete the Agriculture Site Modernization and Deferred Maintenance Project. The Ag-Site is a vital hub for agricultural education and workforce development, offering hands-on training in welding, woodworking, floral design, livestock management, and more. To ensure safety and long-term viability of this site, critical facility upgrades are needed to enhance learning conditions and expand community engagement.

Yolo Food Bank Mobile Pantry Truck Project: Provides $375,000 to the Yolo Food Bank (YFB) to purchase a truck to start a mobile pantry program that will serve Yolo County’s rural residents, providing a unique and convenient method for the community to access fresh produce. According to the YFB’s 2023 Yolo County Food Access Survey, almost one-third of Yolo County residents experience food insecurity. Nearly 20 percent of those who need food assistance do not access food relief resources. One of the reasons for this gap is the lack of access to transportation. By purchasing a food truck, YFB can bring fresh, locally sourced food to the community. The mobile pantry will be year-round and focus on seasonal produce purchased from local farmers. YFB will hire an Ag Procurement Manager, who will leverage established relationships with local farmers and food hubs, to facilitate the purchase of fresh, local produce that they can provide on the Mobile Pantry Truck.

About Community Project Funding (CPF)

Each year, Members of Congress may direct federal funding to a select number of Community Projects through the appropriations process. Under this process, each House member is permitted to submit 15 project requests to the Appropriations Committee on behalf of their Congressional District so long as the projects meet criteria set forth by the Committee. There are no guarantees that Community Projects will all be funded, and the projects are competitively evaluated by the Committee on Appropriations.

Project selection and submissions is the first stage of the process for Community Project Funding. The projects are subject to a strict transparency and accountability process before they may be selected for inclusion in the relevant appropriations legislation for the upcoming year.

Find more information on Rep. Thompson’s CPFs here.