By Sam DeLong
Every Thursday at 10a.m., a cluster of folding chairs and handmade signs appear outside the Social Security office in north Chico. The signs read:
“Honk if you support Social Security.”
“If You Earn It, You Keep It.”
And, less delicately:
“GOP, WTF.”
Some drivers passing by respond with honks of support.
It looks like a protest. Organizers say it’s not. They call it “Social Security appreciation.” For the past year, the group has gathered weekly outside the office. Their message is twofold: support the employees inside the building and push back against federal changes they believe are weakening the Social Security system.
Some members are affiliated with Indivisible Chico, a local social justice organization that’s affiliated with the national grassroots network of the same name, focused on restoring “respect for democracy.” Others at the gathering are retirees, beneficiaries or simply concerned locals. Membership isn’t required. Many participants are themselves of Social Security-recipient age.
Annie Kavanagh, of Indivisible Chico, said the gatherings began as a show of gratitude.
“They had cut funding and staffing of Social Security,” Kavanagh said. “We are here as a show of support for the people in the building. We started showing up to say we appreciate your service. At a larger event on Labor Day last year, we brought cake, flowers — lots of cards.”
What began as thank-you visits evolved into something more visible.
Participants cite policy shifts tied to the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, a federal initiative launched under President Donald Trump and formerly overseen by Elon Musk. Demonstrators say the changes eliminated the ability to update direct deposit information and complete identity verification by phone, forcing beneficiaries to resolve issues in person.
In an office that largely operates by appointment — and, according to participants, faces staffing shortages — that can mean long delays. Residents report hold times stretching for hours, even when calling right at 9a.m., when lines open. In-person visits can also require extended waits.
Former Social Security employee Bob Caldwell, who worked for the agency for 14 years, said the system’s fragility predates recent reforms.
“Over the years, I noticed how easy it would be to collapse the entire program — understaffing, even before DOGE,” Caldwell said. “They are cutting staff and making it harder to get services. But we’ve got to make a stand — that’s why we are here.”
Caldwell argues that sustained staffing reductions risk undermining public confidence in the program itself.
In addition to demonstrating in Chico, members have also gathered at the Oroville Social Security office and attended events organized by the American Association of Government Employees. Weekly actions are promoted on social media.
The group is now preparing for a “No Kings” protest scheduled for March 28, 2026. Demonstrations last June and October focused on what organizers describe as authoritarian practices and constitutional abuses during the Trump administration.
“We have not forgotten you,” Kavanagh said, referring to both Social Security workers and beneficiaries. She added that the group plans to continue showing up “until we see respect for democracy again.”
For now, that means every Thursday morning — chairs out, signs raised, horns echoing down the block — a standing reminder that, in their view, Social Security is earned, not discretionary.
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